Why Is Having the Ability to Compare Numbers Critical?

In the simplest terms comparing numbers is having the ability to classify or point out a difference between two or more values of any kind. It could be used to determine who has more fuel in their car or less oranges in their refrigerator. In the math curriculum this is often the first-time students are being exposed to the concept of a mathematical relationship. It is also the time when they begin to understand the concept of equalness as a result, they begin to comprehend fairness. Fairness and unity are a big message that resonates just about everywhere these days. Without understand how much one value is in relation to another, we often lose the message in transit. This is often the naturally progression for developing great estimation skills. Estimation saves the real-world bucket loads of time and worry that because it allows you to make quick and accurate decisions that would often take much longer if you needed to make all the calculations.

This is the foundational number sense skill that all students should master as soon as possible. Being able to trade, buy, or sell products or services of any kind ineptly requires this understanding. The world's economy is entirely based on this principle. It will be exceedingly difficult to make a living in this economy without having a firm grasp on this number sense ability. I find that it is often helpful to speed the learning of this skill by including the concept of money. Simply ask students if they would rather have you give them a single, five-, or twenty-dollar bill. You would be surprised at how fast that sinks in. They can also magically order values when it is put in that context for them.