Lesson 3: Compare and Order Integers6.NOS.8

I can…

I can compare and order integers using a number line.

Key words

• Number line — A straight line where numbers are placed in order; numbers get smaller to the left and larger to the right.
• Compare — To see if a number is bigger, smaller, or equal to another.
• Order — To put numbers in order, smallest to biggest or biggest to smallest.
• Greater than — Farther right on a number line. The > sign.
• Less than — Farther left on a number line. The < sign.
• Negative integer — A whole number smaller than zero, like -5.
• Integer — Whole numbers and their opposites, like -2, -1, 0, 1, 2.

Steps

1. I will compare -7 and -5. They are both negative, so I look at the number line.
2. -7 is 7 steps left of zero. -5 is only 5 steps left of zero.
3. -7 is farther to the left, so -7 is the smaller number.
4. I write -7 < -5. The open side of the symbol points to the bigger number, -5.

Try it

Which list shows the integers in order from LEAST to GREATEST?

Check your answer

-5, -2, 0, 3, 7

-5 is the smallest (farthest left on the number line), then -2, then 0, then 3, then 7. The correct order from least to greatest is -5, -2, 0, 3, 7.

Sentence starter

I know ___ because ___.

Goal: I can explain my reasoning using the words compare, order, greater than, and less than.