Final answer:
340,000 is less than 357,000. Therefore, 34 ten thousand is less than 348,500 plus 85 hundreds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves comparing two numbers to determine if one is greater than or less than the other. The first number mentioned is 34 ten thousand, which is 340,000. The second number mentioned is 85 hundreds greater than 348,500. To find this second number, we need to add 85 hundreds (which is 8,500) to 348,500.
348,500 + 8,500 = 357,000.
Now we compare 340,000 with 357,000. Clearly, 340,000 is less than 357,000.