Here are two scores from a busy day of GAA matches: 366 and 372. Which score is bigger? Hands up if you think you can spot it.
Now the tricky part: which column of digits told you the answer?
Write the two numbers side by side on the board and take three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Give five seconds of quiet think-time before any hands go up.
Draw out that the hundreds are the same (both 3), so the answer is hiding further along. Do not reveal the full rule yet — that is the next step.
Write each pair of numbers side by side on the board. Compare them column by column, always starting with the hundreds. Notice how far along you have to look before you can tell which is bigger.
245 vs 198: hundreds settle it, two flats beat one, stop early. 245 is bigger.
360 vs 340: hundreds tie at three, slide to the tens, six rods beat four. 360 is bigger, the tens broke the tie.
517 vs 519: hundreds and tens both tie, one ten-rod each, comes down to units. Ask which will be bigger before revealing. Nine beats seven, 519 wins by two.
280 vs 28: different lengths, count the columns first. 280 has hundreds, 28 has none. Head off the idea that a longer-looking small number could be bigger. 280 is far bigger.
Today we work through these pairs together, and for each one we sort which is bigger: 145 and 154, then 402 and 420, then 730 and 703, then 500 and 89. Each pair asks a slightly different question, so we say out loud which column finally breaks the tie before we sort them.
This round is for talking it through together — pupils take turns at the board and the class agrees or corrects out loud.
For each pair, ask a pupil to drag the bigger number to the 'bigger' side and place the correct sign. Have the class name the deciding column aloud first: 145 and 154 — hundreds tie, tens decide. Watch for the length trap on 500 versus 89 — count the columns before deciding.
Ask several pupils to set different pairs so more of the class has a turn.
In your maths copy, write each pair from the lesson with the correct < or > sign between them, and underline the first column where the two numbers differ.
Remember: the wide open end of the sign always faces the bigger number.
Walk the room glancing at the sign direction and the underlined deciding column — this is whole-class copybook practice, not marking. The most common slip is pointing the sign the wrong way; remind pupils the open mouth eats the bigger number.
Today we work through these pairs together, in order: 412 and 421, then 605 and 650, then 700 and 699, then 308 and 380. Each one hides its deciding column in a different place, so before we sort each pair we predict which column finally breaks the tie.
These are the practice questions — pupils take turns at the board, check each answer, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.
Add the callout which column finally breaks the tie? before each reveal.
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