Compare/Order Fractions

 

Comparing and Ordering Fractions

To compare or order fractions you must first of all look at the denominators. 

If they are alike, then just pay attention to the numerators and put them in order according to those.

For example to order fractions: 

 If I have the fractions: 2/8, 4/8, 3/8, 1/8.    They all have the same denominator, so I pay attention to the 2,4,3, and 1 and put the fractions in order by those numbers.  Therefore my answer would be 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8.

To compare I would do the same thing.  I would look at the denominator and make sure it is the same and then just compare the numerators.

If the denominators are unlike or different.

I must first of all find the Common denominator - the Least Common Multiple of all the denomiators.  Use the math facts for each denominator and find the smallest number that occurs in each row.

Once I have found the Common Denominator, I figure how I changed each denominator and do the same exact action to the numerator.

For example, if the common denomiator is 12 for the fractions 1/6 and 3/4 then I focus on 1/6 first and ask what can I multiply by 6 to get 12, answer - 2, then whatever I do the bottom I do to the top so 1x2 = 2 so my new fraction for 1/6 is now 2/12.  I do the same thing for the fraction 3/4 and I get 9/12.  Now I can compare or order the fractions since they have the same denomiators. 

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