When we compare two numbers, we use three symbols: “greater than” (>) when the first number is bigger, “less than” (<) when the first number is smaller, and “equals” (=) when the two numbers are the same.
Example: 7 > 3 reads “seven is greater than three,” 3 < 7 reads “three is less than seven,” and 5 = 5 reads “five equals five.”
An easy trick: imagine the symbol is a hungry crocodile's mouth, always opening wide toward the bigger number to eat it! When the mouth opens left, the left number is smaller; when it opens right, the right number is smaller.
