ABSTRACT As one of the fundamental concepts for developing algebraic reasoning in young children, the concept of equality and the equal symbol is discussed in this paper. Based on an instrument derived from previous research results, a study of how seventh graders understand the concept of equalit y was conducted and a subsequent analysis was accomplished. Children’s common misconceptions and misunderstandings about the equality concept were also revealed in the analysis. Some classroom activities are applied towards helping students to overcome the difficulties with the concept of equality and the equal symbol. This study also investigated whether instruction that involves comparing the equal sign with other relational symbols is more effective at imparting a relational interpretation of the equal sign than instruction about the equal sign alone. Seventh-grade students in a comparing symbols group were learned about the greater than, less than and equal signs and had the opportunity to compare the inequality symbols with the equal sign. Students in an equal sign group were learned about the equal sign only. A third group of students served as a control group. A comparing symbols lesson promoted better understanding of the equal sign in elementary school students than an equal sign lesson. More specifically, students who compared the equal sign with the greater than and less than symbols showed greater conceptual understanding of the equal sign at posttest than students who learned about the equal sign alone or not at all.Overall, by comparing relational symbols, students gained deeper conceptual knowledge not only of the equal sign but also of inequality symbols. In the comparing symbols experimental group, students developed a relational understanding of the equals sign after they learned the equals sign by comparing the the greater than, the less than and the equals sign.In the equals sign experimental group, students developed an operational understanding of the equals sign after they learned the equals sign by using only the equals sign.In the control group, students developed a do something operational understanding of the equals sign after they learned the equals sign without using any of the comparing symbols. Students have to develop a relational understanding of the equal sign because students with a limited understanding of the equal sign may fail to apply their knowledge in all contexts. The findings show that students solve equations better if they have a relational understanding of the equal sign.