Ascending and Descending Order
5 Minutes
Ascending and descending order for kids: learn how to compare numbers, arrange values, and use inequality symbols. A short maths lesson in English.
- Comparing numbers by digits and place values
- Arranging numbers in ascending and descending order
- Using greater than, lesser than, and equal to symbols
What this lesson teaches
Ascending order is the arrangement of numbers or items from smallest to largest, while descending order is the arrangement from largest to smallest.
How to compare numbers
To decide which number is larger, look first at the total count of digits. A three-digit number like 130 is larger than a two-digit number like 93 because it contains more digits. When two numbers have the same number of digits, compare their place values starting from the left. For example, in 4,998 and 4,989, the thousands place and hundreds place are identical, so you must check the tens place, where 9 is larger than 8, making 4,998 the greater value.
Arranging values in order
- Start with the smallest value and move upward step by step to build an ascending list, such as arranging 56, 48, 23, 11, and 39 into 11, 23, 39, 48, and 56.
- Identify 11 as the smallest number and 56 as the largest number in that group to set the starting and ending points.
- Reverse the entire arrangement from the biggest value down to the smallest value to put the same set of numbers into descending order.
Symbols for comparison
Three primary symbols describe relationships between values: greater than, lesser than, and equal to. You can imagine greater than and lesser than symbols as a bird opening its beak toward the larger number. If the first number written is larger, use the greater than symbol, as in 21 is greater than 18, which is used when listing values in descending order. If the second number is larger, use the lesser than symbol, as in 16 is lesser than 18, which is used in ascending order, while matching numbers use the equal to symbol, like 18 is equal to 18.
Real-world uses
- Stacking boxes requires placing the largest box at the bottom and smaller boxes on top in descending order so the pile balances and does not fall.
- Pharmacists arrange medicine packs in ascending order of expiry dates, placing medicines expiring in 2019 first, followed by 2021, 2022, and 2023, so old stock is sold before expiring.
- Schools arrange students in ascending order during morning prayers.
- Number markings on apartment floors and the natural phases of the moon from new moon to full moon also rely on ascending and descending sequences.