Relationship Between Numbers
About 6 min · Elementary Mathematics · English
Time worked out from the lesson's 347 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.
Relationship Between Numbers forms the foundation of Elementary Mathematics in SSC GD. This topic tests your ability to compare, order, and establish logical connections between different types of numbers. Questions appear directly (compare two numbers, arrange in order) and indirectly (as part of number series or ratio problems). Mastering this topic builds number sense—the intuitive understanding of magnitude and position that speeds up calculation across all math sections.
Key ideas
- Natural hierarchy: Natural numbers ⊂ Whole numbers ⊂ Integers ⊂ Rational numbers ⊂ Real numbers. Every natural number is also a whole number, integer, rational, and real number, but the reverse isn't true.
- Comparison principle: For positive numbers, compare magnitudes directly. For negative numbers, the number closer to zero is greater (−2 > −5). When comparing opposite-sign numbers, positive is always greater than negative.
- Decimal comparison: Compare from left to right—whole part first, then first decimal place, then second decimal place, and so on. 0.56 > 0.499 even though 499 > 56, because the first decimal place decides (5 > 4).
- Fraction comparison: When denominators are equal, larger numerator means larger fraction. When numerators are equal, smaller denominator means larger fraction. For unlike fractions, cross-multiply or convert to common denominator.
- Percentage as hundredths: Any percentage is that number divided by 100. So 45% = 45/100 = 0.45. This makes percentage-decimal-fraction conversions straightforward.
Quick reference
- Cross-multiply to compare fractions: a/b vs c/d → compare a×d with b×c.
- Convert to common format (decimals easiest) when comparing mixed number types.
- For decimals, compare the whole-number part first, then digit-by-digit after the decimal point.
- Negative number closer to zero is greater: −2 > −5 > −10.
- Percentage = decimal × 100; decimal = fraction by division.
Check yourself: 3 questions
1. Which of the following is the greatest number among 7/9, 5/6, 11/12 and 13/15?
2. If a number is increased by 20% and then decreased by 20%, the net change in the number is:
3. Three numbers are in the ratio 2:3:4. If the sum of their squares is 1856, then the smallest number is:
This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 18 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.
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