Compare the Two Common Fractions - 331/313 and - 338/320, Which One is Larger? Online Calculator
Fractions - 331/313 and - 338/320 are compared by building equivalent fractions, which have either equal denominators or equal numerators
To compare and sort multiple fractions, they should either have the same denominator or the same numerator.
The operation of comparing fractions:
- 331/313 and - 338/320
Simplify the operation
Reduce (simplify) the fractions to their lowest terms equivalents:
- To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms equivalent: divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor, GCF.
The fraction: - 331/313
- 331/313 is already reduced to the lowest terms.
The numerator and denominator have no common prime factors:
- 331 is a prime number.
- 313 is a prime number.
- GCF (331; 313) = 1
The fraction: - 338/320
- The prime factorizations of the numerator and denominator:
- 338 = 2 × 132
- 320 = 26 × 5
- Multiply all the common prime factors: if there are repeating prime factors we only take them once, and only the ones having the lowest exponent (the lowest powers).
- GCF (338; 320) = 2
- 338/320 = - (338 ÷ 2)/(320 ÷ 2) = - 169/160
The fraction can also be reduced without calculating GCF; factor the numerator and denominator and cross out all the common prime factors:
- 338/320 = - (2 × 132)/(26 × 5) = - ((2 × 132) ÷ 2)/((26 × 5) ÷ 2) = - 169/160
To compare and sort the fractions, make their denominators the same.
To make the fractions' denominators the same - we have to:
- 1) calculate their common denominator
- 2) then calculate the expanding number of each fraction
- 3) expand the fractions to equivalent forms having the same denominator
Calculate the common denominator
The common denominator is nothing else than the least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators of the fractions.
To calculate the LCM, we need the prime factorization of the denominators:
313 is a prime number.
160 = 25 × 5
Multiply all the unique prime factors: if there are repeating prime factors we only take them once, and only the ones having the highest exponent (the highest powers).
LCM (313, 160) = 25 × 5 × 313 = 50,080
Calculate the expanding number of each fraction:
Divide the LCM by the denominator of each fraction.
- 331/313 ⟶ 50,080 ÷ 313 = (25 × 5 × 313) ÷ 313 = 160
- 169/160 ⟶ 50,080 ÷ 160 = (25 × 5 × 313) ÷ (25 × 5) = 313
Make the denominators of the fractions the same:
- Expand each fraction: multiply both its numerator and denominator by its corresponding expanding number, calculated above.
- This way all the fractions will have the same denominator:
- 331/313 = - (160 × 331)/(160 × 313) = - 52,960/50,080
- 169/160 = - (313 × 169)/(313 × 160) = - 52,897/50,080
The fractions have the same denominator, compare their numerators.
The larger the numerator the smaller the negative fraction.
The larger the numerator the larger the positive fraction.
::: The operation of comparing fractions :::
The final answer:
The fractions sorted in ascending order:
- 52,960/50,080 < - 52,897/50,080
The initial fractions sorted in ascending order:
- 331/313 < - 338/320
How are the numbers written: comma ',' used as a thousands separator; point '.' as a decimal separator; numbers rounded off to max. 12 decimals (if the case). Used symbols: '/' the fraction bar; ÷ dividing; × multiplying; + plus (adding); - minus (subtracting); = equal; ≈ approximately equal.
Compare and sort common fractions, online calculator: