Answer
$-5.5 < 2.5,\quad$ fill the box with $ < .$
Work Step by Step
On the real number line, the real numbers increase from left to right.
The lesser of two real numbers is the one farther to the left on a number line.
The greater of two real numbers is the one farther to the right on a number line.
The symbols $> $ and $< $ are called inequality symbols. These symbols always point to
the lesser of the two real numbers when the inequality is true.
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$-5.5$ is negative, to the left of zero,
$2.5$ is positive, to the right of zero, so
$-5.5$ is to the left of $2.5$,
$-5.5 < 2.5,\quad$ fill the box with $ < .$
