Compare fractions

Learning Objectives Compare two fractions with the same denominator by comparing their numerators. Compare two fractions with the same numerator by comparing their denominators. Use the benchmark fraction 1/2 to compare two fractions. Find a common denominator to compare two fractions with different numerators and denominators. Correctly use the symbols < (less than), > (greater than), and = (equal to) to record the results of fraction comparisons. Solve word problems that involve comparing fractions. Would you rather have 1/2 of a pizza or 1/8 of a pizza? 🍕 Knowing how to compare fractions helps you get the biggest slice! In this lesson, we will learn different strategies to figure out if a fraction is bigger, smaller, or equal to another fraction. This is a very im...

TermDefinitionExample FractionA number that represents a part of a whole or a part of a group.1/4 means 1 part out of 4 equal parts. NumeratorThe top number in a fraction. It tells you how many parts you have.In the fraction 3/5, the numerator is 3. DenominatorThe bottom number in a fraction. It tells you how many equal parts the whole is divided into.In the fraction 3/5, the denominator is 5. Equivalent FractionsFractions that have different numerators and denominators but represent the same value or amount.1/2 is equivalent to 2/4 and 4/8. Common DenominatorA shared multiple of the denominators of two or more fractions. We use it to compare fractions with different denominators.A common denominator for 1/2 and 1/3 is 6, because both 2 and 3 can multiply to get 6. Benchmark FractionA com...

Rule 1: Same Denominators If c is the same, compare a and b. If a > b, then a/c > b/c. When the bottom numbers (denominators) are the same, the fraction with the bigger top number (numerator) is the greater fraction. You have more pieces of the same size. Rule 2: Same Numerators If a is the same, compare b and c. If b < c, then a/b > a/c. When the top numbers (numerators) are the same, the fraction with the smaller denominator is greater. The pieces are bigger because the whole was cut into fewer parts. Rule 3: Cross-Multiplication To compare a/b and c/d, calculate a*d and b*c. If a*d > b*c, then a/b > c/d. This is a quick way to compare any two fractions. Multiply the numerator of the first fraction by the denominator of the second, and vice-versa....