Comparing Decimals

These free printable comparing decimals worksheets target the classic 4th and 5th grade misconception that longer decimals are bigger. Every problem pairs a one-place decimal with a two-place decimal - 0.9 versus 0.85 - so students must compare place by place instead of counting digits.

How to Solve Decimals - Concepts

Line the numbers up at the decimal point and compare place by place from the left. Pad the shorter number with a zero so both have the same length: 0.9 becomes 0.90, and 90 hundredths beats 85 hundredths. More digits does not mean a bigger number - position always outranks length.

You can view the preview of this worksheet below, or download the full high-resolution PDF along with the answer key for easy grading.