Tutoring: Comparing ordinary fractions
How to compare two fractions?
1. Fractions that have different signs:
- Any positive fraction is larger than any negative fraction:
- ie: 4/25 > - 19/2
2. A proper and an improper fraction:
- Any positive improper fraction is larger than any positive proper fraction:
- ie: 44/25 > 1 > 19/200
- Any negative improper fraction is smaller than any negative proper fraction:
- ie: - 44/25 < -1 < - 19/200
3. Fractions that have both like numerators and denominators:
- The fractions are equal:
- ie: 89/50 = 89/50
4. Fractions that have unlike (different) numerators but like (equal) denominators.
- Positive fractions: compare the numerators, the larger fraction is the one with the larger numerator:
- ie: 24/25 > 19/25
- Negative fractions: compare the numerators, the larger fraction is the one with the smaller numerator:
- ie: - 19/25 < - 17/25
5. Fractions that have unlike (different) denominators but like (equal) numerators.
- Positive fractions: compare the denominators, the larger fraction is the one with the smaller denominator:
- ie: 24/25 > 24/26
- Negative fractions: compare the denominators, the larger fraction is the one with the larger denominator:
- ie: - 17/25 < - 17/29
6. Fractions that have different denominators and numerators (unlike denominators and numerators).
- To compare them, fractions should be built up to the same denominator (or if it's easier, to the same numerator).
Read the rest of this article, here: How to compare and sort two fractions with unlike (different) denominators (and different numerators)