We can compare two numbers by looking at their positions on a number line. The greater number is the one farther to the right, and the less number is the one farther to the left.

For example, -5 is to the right of -8, so -5 is greater than -8. And -8 is to the left of -5, so -8 is less than -5. The same rule works for any two numbers: -3 is greater than -7, because -3 is farther to the right; -9 is less than -1, because -9 is farther to the left.

Even without drawing a number line, we can picture it in our heads. For two negative numbers, the number with the smaller distance from 0 is greater. For example, -3.2 is greater than -3.4, because -3.2 is closer to 0 and therefore farther to the right.

We can write comparisons quickly using two symbols:

• > means greater than
• < means less than

So instead of writing "3 is greater than -3" we can write $3 > \text-3$. And "-35 is less than -10" becomes $\text-35 < \text-10$.

A helpful trick: the symbol always opens toward the greater number (like an alligator's mouth opening toward the bigger meal). Any number to the right of 0 is greater than 0, and any number to the left of 0 is less than 0.