Comparing and Ordering Decimals — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Lia ran the 100m in 12.45 s and Tia ran it in 12.5 s. The faster runner is Lia.
12.45 is less than 12.50 in the hundredths place, giving Lia a smaller time.
2. A puppy weighs 4.08 kg and a kitten weighs 4.8 kg. The heavier animal is the kitten.
4.80 has 8 tenths while 4.08 has 0 tenths, so the kitten has the greater magnitude.
3. Three sprints clocked 9.81 s, 9.18 s, and 9.8 s. The slowest sprint took 9.81 s.
9.81 is greatest in descending order — slower runners have larger times.
4. A bag of rice is 2.305 kg and a bag of flour is 2.35 kg. The lighter bag is rice.
2.305 is less than 2.350 because 0 hundredths is less than 5 hundredths.
5. Order these run times in ascending order: 11.2 s, 11.02 s, 11.22 s. The middle time is 11.2 s.
Sequence: 11.02, 11.20, 11.22 — so 11.20 (or 11.2) is the middle run time.
6. A box weighs 7.5 kg and a crate weighs 7.50 kg. The heavier item is the neither.
7.5 equals 7.50 — the box and crate have the same weight in Grade 5 place value.
7. Sam swam 50m in 38.6 s, 38.06 s, and 38.66 s on three tries. His best (fastest) time was 38.06 s.
38.06 is less than 38.60 and 38.66 in the tenths place — fastest in ascending order.
8. A truck carries 12.4 kg, 12.04 kg, and 12.44 kg loads. The heaviest load is 12.44 kg.
12.44 has the greatest magnitude in descending order — 4 hundredths beats 0 hundredths.
9. A 200m race finished with times 25.3 s, 25.30 s, 25.03 s. The fastest time was 25.03 s.
25.03 has 0 tenths, smaller than 3 tenths, giving the smallest magnitude.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
A: Run time 14.05 s vs 14.5 s — faster is
→ 14.05 s (smaller magnitude)
14.05 s (smaller magnitude)
B: Weight 3.2 kg vs 3.20 kg — heavier is
→ neither — they are equal
neither — they are equal
C: Time 8.09 s vs 8.9 s — slower is
→ 8.9 s (greater magnitude)
8.9 s (greater magnitude)
D: Weight 5.55 kg vs 5.555 kg — lighter is
→ 5.55 kg (less than 5.555 kg)
5.55 kg (less than 5.555 kg)
Grade 5 place value reasoning: trailing zeros keep magnitude equal, and tenths outweigh hundredths in descending or ascending order.