Compare Fractions

Learn how to compare fractions!

1. Compare Fractions
Mrs. Young
EMC 1

2. Vocabulary:
• common denominator
• least common denominator
• like fractions
• unlike fractions.
HOW TO COMPARE FRACTIONSHOW TO COMPARE FRACTIONS

3. The fractions
2
/
4
and
3
/
4
have the same denominator. Fractions
with the same denominators are like fractions.
Compare Fractions with Compare Fractions with
common denominatorscommon denominators

4. If denominators are the same, the fraction with the larger
numerator is larger. So
3
/
4
is larger than
2
/
4
.
Compare Fractions with Compare Fractions with
common denominatorscommon denominators

5. 9
/
16
and
7
/
16
are like fractions. The numerator 9 in
9
/
16
is
larger than the numerator 7 in
7
/
16
, making
9
/
16
larger than
7
/
16
.
Compare Fractions with Compare Fractions with
common denominatorscommon denominators

6. The fractions
3
/
4
and
5
/
8
have unlike denominators and unlike
numerators. Fractions that have unlike denominators are unlike
fractions.
Compare Unlike Compare Unlike
FractionsFractions

7. To compare
3
/
4
and
5
/
8 ,
rename one or both fractions with like
denominators making them like fractions. Then compare the
numerators. In this case,
3
/
4
is renamed as
6
/
8
so that we can
compare the numerator of
6
/
8
and
5
/
8
.
Compare Unlike Compare Unlike
FractionsFractions

8. Compare Unlike Fractions:
Step 1
•To compare
3
/
4
and
5
/
8 ,
rename one or both fractions
with like denominators making them like fractions.
•In order to do this, you must find the least common
denominator.
–You will have to be able to use your skills of find the
least common multiple in order to do this.
•The least common multiple of 4 and 8 is 8.
–This means that we will rename (or find
equivalent fractions) using 8 as the
denominator.

9. Step 1 continued
•Write equivalent fractions for
3
/
4

and
5
/
8
using 8 as the denominator.

3
/
4 =
6
/
8
5
/
8 =
5
/
8

10. Step 2:
Compare the fractions
3
/
4 =
6
/
8
5
/
8 =
5
/
8

6
/
8 >
5
/
8
, which means that
3
/
4 >
5
/
8

11. Compare Unlike Fractions:
Step 1
•To compare
5
/
7
and
3
/
5 ,
rename one or both fractions
with like denominators making them like fractions.
•In order to do this, you must find the least common
denominator.
–You will have to be able to use your skills of find the
least common multiple in order to do this.
•The least common multiple of 7 and 5 is 35.
–This means that we will rename (or find
equivalent fractions) using 35 as the
denominator.

12. Step 1 continued
•Write equivalent fractions for
5
/
7

and
3
/
5
using 35 as the
denominator.
5
/
7 =
25
/
35
3
/
5 =
21
/
35

13. Step 2:
Compare the fractions
5
/
7 =
25
/
35
3
/
5 =
21
/
35
25
/
35 >
21
/
35, which means that
5
/
7 >
3
/
5

14. Compare Unlike Fractions:
Step 1
•To compare
6
/
9
and
1
/
2 ,
rename one or both fractions
with like denominators making them like fractions.
•In order to do this, you must find the least common
denominator.
–You will have to be able to use your skills of find the
least common multiple in order to do this.
•The least common multiple of 9 and 2 is 18.
–This means that we will rename (or find
equivalent fractions) using 18 as the
denominator.

15. Step 1 continued
•Write equivalent fractions for
6
/
9

and
1
/
2
using 18 as the
denominator.
6
/
9 =
12
/
18
1
/
2 =
9
/
18

16. Step 2:
Compare the fractions
6
/
9 =
12
/
18
1
/
2 =
9
/
18
12
/
18 >
9
/
18, which means that
6
/
9 >
1
/
2

17. Compare the fractions
•
8
/
9 and
5
/
9
•
5
/
6 and
7
/
10
•
3
/
6 and
9
/
11