Greater Than

Greater than sign is a mathematical symbol that is used to compare two quantities. It establishes a relationship between two terms where one term is more than the other term. To compare any two numbers, amount or quantities, we use the greater than, less than, and equal to terms. There is an individual sign for each term like greater than is represented by ' >', equal is represented by ' = ', and lesser than is represented by '<'. Let us learn more about the greater than symbol in this article.

The term 'greater than' is used when a number is larger than the other number and we use the greater than sign to compare two weights, distances, volumes, and so on.

Greater than Meaning

The meaning of greater than is understood when we compare any two quantities. For example, we can compare the prices of two flavors of ice-creams. If the price of chocolate ice cream is $10 and the price of vanilla ice cream is $7, we can see that they are not equal. The price of chocolate ice cream is more than the price of vanilla ice cream. So, we can say that the price of chocolate ice cream is greater than the price of the vanilla ice cream and this can be expressed as 10 > 5.

When we compare numbers, we use some mathematical signs instead of words. Mathematical symbols make the work simpler and quicker. Observe the greater than sign shown below. This sign is used to show that one value is greater than the other value.

For example, the statement '4 is greater than 2' is true. So we can write it as 4 > 2.

Now, let us understand the greater than symbol from the left side and the right side. The following points highlight certain important tips related to the greater than symbol.

• The open side of the sign (>) has two corners/points, whereas the closing side of the sign has only one corner/point.
• The wide-open side of the sign that has two points always faces the bigger number, whereas the closing endpoint of a sign faces the smaller number.

Note: We can represent 4 is greater than 2 in another way like, 2 < 4. It can be seen that the wide-open side of the sign faces the bigger number which is 4. As the closing endpoint is facing the smaller number 2, we can also say that 2 is less than 4.

Tips and Tricks on Greater Than Sign

Following are the tips that help in the concept of greater than.

• The words 'more than', 'greater than', 'bigger than', and 'larger than', and so on, correspond to the sign >
• The greater than symbol is also known as the 'more than sign', or the 'more than symbol'.
• While comparing the values, we keep the wide-open side of the sign in front of the greater value.

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What is the Greater Than Sign?

The greater than sign in math is >. It helps us to compare the values of numbers including fractions, decimals, integers, etc. When a number 'a' is greater than the number 'b', we write it as a > b.

How to Use the Greater Than Sign in Math?

While comparing two numbers we can use the greater than symbol in math. For example, let us compare two-digit numbers, 32 and 17. While comparing the two-digit numbers, we first compare the digit at tens place. If the digits are the same we will compare the digits at ones place. Here, the digit at tens place is 3 and 1 and 3 is greater than 1, so 32 is greater than 17.

Is 75 Greater Than 74?

Yes, 75 is greater than 74. While comparing the two-digit numbers, we first compare the digits at tens place. If the digits are the same we will compare the digits at ones place. Here the digit at tens place is the same so we will compare the digits at ones place that is 5 and 4 and 5 is greater than 4, so 75 is greater than 74.

What is Greater Than or Equal to Sign?

Greater than or equal to sign is a mathematical symbol that is used when one value is either greater than or equal to some other value. Greater than or equal to symbol is expressed as ' ≥'.

What is the Difference Between Greater Than and Less than Sign?

Greater than and less than signs can be used to compare numbers. The greater than symbol is >. For example, 8 > 7 is read as '8 is greater than 7'. The less-than sign is '<'. For example, 7 < 8 is read as '7 is less than 8'.

What is the Difference Between Greater Than Sign and Equal to Sign?

Greater than and equal to signs are used to compare numbers. The greater-than sign is >. For example, 85 > 75 is read as '85 is greater than 75'. The equal to sign is '='. For example, 75 = 75 is read as '75 is equal to 75'.

What Fractions are Greater Than 1?

The fractions which are equal to or greater than 1 are known as improper fractions. Some examples of such fractions are 3/2, 5/3, 9/5, etc.

How to Write Greater Than 30?

To express numbers greater than 30, the greater than sign is to be used. For example, to write the following statement mathematically: '31 is greater than 30', we write it as 31 > 30.

How to Remember Greater Than Sign?

The greater than sign or the more than sign looks like this '>'. The wide-open side of the sign should be in front of the greater number, and the pointed end should be to the smaller number.