Is 0.250 more or less than 0.375?

2 Answers
Feb 8, 2018

#0.250# is less than #0.375#

Explanation:

Start by comparing the digits in the tenths place:

#color(red)(0. 250)" "" "" "color(blue)(0. 375#

#color(lightgray)(0.)color(red)2color(lightgray)50 " "" "" "color(lightgray)(0.)color(blue)3color(lightgray)75#

#color(white)"---"color(red)2" "" "" "" "color(white)"-.."color(blue)3#

#color(white)"---"color(red)2" "" "<" "color(white)"-."color(blue)3#

Since #color(red)2# is less than #color(blue)3#, #" "color(red)0.250# is less than #color(blue)0.375#.

#0.250 < 0.375" "# because #" "0.2 <0.3#

Explanation:

This is directly comparable with asking

Is #color(blue)(2)50# greater than or less than #color(blue)(3)75?#

The most important place holders are the first ones.

In this case they both show hundreds.

#color(blue)(2)00 < color(blue)(3)00#

In the case of the decimals, we use the same approach,

#0color(blue)(.2)50 and 0color(blue)(.3)75#

The most important place holders are the first ones which are not #0#

In this case they both show tenths.

#2/10 < 3/10#, therefore, no matter what digits follow, the first number will be smaller than the second.

Compare the following:

#2,386 and 395" "larr# there are #2# thousands, so the first number is bigger.

#0color(blue)(.0)98 and 0color(blue)(.1)56#

You are comparing #0# tenths with #1# tenth, so the second number is bigger.