Definition
Less than
Less than means that one value is smaller than another.
What it means
Read the statement from left to right. In 6 < 10, six is the smaller value. The point is beside 6, while the wide opening is beside 10. For countable objects, “fewer than” is often the clearer wording.
Remember it
The point of < touches the lesser value; the wide side faces the greater.
Example
Compare 0.35 m and 40 cm. Since 0.35 m is 35 cm and 35 < 40, 0.35 m is less than 40 cm.
Watch for
For countable objects, “fewer than” is often clearer; for measures and numbers, “less than” is standard.
Common mix-up
Read from the left: 4 < 9 and 9 > 4 describe the same comparison in opposite directions.
Exact meaning
For two comparable values a and b, a is less than b when a has the smaller value; this is written a < b. On a standard number line, a lies to the left of b. The point of < faces the smaller value.