Comparing two-digit numbers uses place value: compare tens first; if tens are equal, compare ones. The symbols <, >, and = express relationships between numbers precisely.
From your work on place value with tens and ones, you know that a two-digit number like 47 is not just a pair of digits side by side — it means 4 tens and 7 ones, which is 40 + 7 = 47. That understanding of what the digits *represent* is exactly the tool you need for comparing two-digit numbers. Comparison is really just asking: which number represents more?
Here is the key rule: always look at the tens place first. The tens digit tells you roughly how big the number is. If one number has more tens than another, it is bigger — no matter what the ones digits are. For example, 63 is greater than 59, because 6 tens is more than 5 tens. You do not even need to look at the 3 and 9. Six groups of ten beats five groups of ten every time.
The ones digit only matters when the tens digits are the same. If you have 47 and 43, both have 4 tens — so the tens cannot settle the comparison. Now you look at the ones: 7 ones vs. 3 ones. Since 7 is more than 3, the number 47 is greater than 43. Think of it like a footrace: if two runners are on the same lap, you look at how far around the track they are. But if they are on different laps, the lap number settles it first.
The symbols <, >, and = are just shorthand for these relationships. The > symbol points left toward the bigger number (47 > 43), the < symbol points right toward the bigger number (43 < 47), and = means both sides are exactly the same amount (45 = 45). A helpful memory trick: the open mouth of the symbol always faces the bigger number, like it wants to eat the larger amount. Practice reading comparison statements aloud — "47 is greater than 43," "43 is less than 47" — so the symbols feel connected to real meaning rather than arbitrary marks.