Greater Than / Less Than Worksheets

Create Printable Greater Than, Less Than Worksheets With >, < and =

Generate free printable comparison worksheets where students write >, <, or = in a box between two numbers. Choose a digit count from 1 to 6 to match any stage from Kindergarten through upper primary.

Download in A4 or US Letter PDF format with an optional answer key. Ideal for UK Year 1–6 and US Kindergarten–Grade 5 as the earliest possible introduction to inequalities.

Why use this greater than/less than generator?

Comparison is a surprisingly deep skill: it is the first moment in maths where students meet symbolic inequalities, and it is the skill that underpins ordering, sorting, and reasoning about number size. Use the generator for:

• introducing the >, <, and = symbols for the first time
• comparing 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-digit numbers
• reinforcing place value: to compare 4,847 and 4,874 you must look at thousands, then hundreds, then tens
• preparing for inequalities in pre-algebra
• supporting struggling readers of big numbers

What you can customise

• Digit count: 1 to 6 (smaller counts for early primary, larger for Year 5/6)
• Include equals cases: turn on to occasionally generate pairs like “248 ___ 248” that require an = symbol
• Number of problems per page
• Include answer key
• Paper size: A4 or US Letter PDF
• Name and date fields

Notes and limitations

• Without “Include equals”, the two numbers in every pair are guaranteed to be different so the answer is always strictly > or <.
• With “Include equals” on, roughly a fraction of pairs will be identical — students have to resist the habit of always writing > or <.
• The symbol goes in a clear square box so there is no ambiguity about where the student should write.
• Print at 100% scale.

Who these worksheets are for

Parents

Use 1- and 2-digit sheets for Reception/Kindergarten, then scale the digit count up each year.

Teachers

Produce instant comparison practice aligned to your current place-value lesson.

Homeschool families

Embed comparison into your weekly maths routine — it pays back when learners start ordering and sorting.

Tutors

Use larger digit counts to diagnose place-value understanding: a student who can compare 2-digit numbers but fumbles 5-digit numbers has a reading problem, not a comparison problem.

Worksheet style options

Single-digit comparisons

Best for Reception and Year 1 — just 0 to 9. Ideal for first introduction to the > and < symbols.

Two- and three-digit comparisons

Year 2 and Year 3 staple. Students compare by looking at the leftmost differing digit.

Four- to six-digit comparisons

Year 4–6 stretch. Excellent reinforcement of place value.

With equals

Turn on “Include equals” to introduce the = symbol in a comparison context — many learners only meet = as the answer symbol in arithmetic and need explicit practice with equality as a relationship.

How to use the tool

1. Pick the digit count.
2. Toggle “Include equals” on or off.
3. Set the number of problems.
4. Turn the answer key on if needed.
5. Choose A4 or US Letter.
6. Generate and download the PDF.

Worked example

With digit count 4 and “Include equals” off, the generator might produce “3,847 ___ 3,874”, “6,204 ___ 6,240”, and “9,991 ___ 9,919”. The student compares thousands (equal), then hundreds (equal), then tens (different), giving <, <, and >. The answer key lists these three symbols in the same order.

Methodology

The greater-less-than engine picks two random numbers with the chosen digit count. By default it guarantees they differ; with “Include equals” it occasionally generates identical pairs. The correct symbol is calculated automatically. Every sheet is rendered through the shared branded PDF template.

Helpful preset ideas

• 1 digit, 25 problems — Reception / Kindergarten
• 2 digits, 25 problems — Year 1
• 3 digits, 20 problems — Year 2/3
• 5 digits with equals, 20 problems — Year 5 place-value reinforcement

Best ways to practise comparisons

• Teach the “alligator mouth” or “arrow points to smaller” mnemonic for the symbols, whichever your school uses.
• Always compare from the left — the leftmost differing digit decides the answer.
• Say the inequality out loud as a sentence: “Three thousand eight hundred forty-seven is less than three thousand eight hundred seventy-four.”
• Use larger digit counts alongside place-value practice so the two skills reinforce each other.

Designed for A4 and US Letter Printing

The symbol boxes stay crisp at 100% scale on both A4 and US Letter, so answers are clearly delineated regardless of paper type.

Related maths practice tools

• Place Value Worksheet Generator
• Rounding Numbers Worksheet Generator
• Number Bonds Worksheet Generator
• Missing Numbers Worksheet Generator