reading fractions?

Question

How do I read fractions to be able to tell which is the greatest? For example: What is the least of these fracions:

1/7
3/11
9/38
etc
How would I figure something like this out?

Answer 1

You would need to convert them all using the LCD to having the same denominator.

In this case it would be (7*11*2*19) or 2926ths.

1/7 = 418/2926ths
3/11 = 798/2926ths
9/38 = 693/2926ths

So in this case 3/11 is the largest, and 1/7 is the smallest.

Answer 2

1/7 and 3/11

you can tell by writing these two like this...

1 ..... 3
--- ... ---
7 .... 11

now if you cross-multiply 1 and 11 you get 11... so write 11 over the 1 of 1/7....

now cross-multiply 7 and 3... you get 21... so write 21 over the 3 in 3 /11

11 is less than 21.... therefore that tells you that the fraction on the left (in this case 1/7) is the smaller of the two fractions...

you now know that 1/7 is less than 3/11....

now.... take 9/38... and compare that with 3/11
9 ..... 3
--- ... ---
38 .... 11

now if you cross-multiply 9 and 11 you get 99... so write 99 over the 9 of 9/38....

now cross-multiply 38 and 3... you get 114... so write 114 over the 3 in 3 /11

99 is less than 114.... therefore that tells you that the fraction on the left (in this case 9/38) is the smaller of the two fractions...

you now know that 9/38 is less than 3/11....

NOW... you know that both 1/7 and 9/38 are less than 3/11. But compared with each other... which is bigger? 1/7 or 9/38?...

so do the cross multiplication process again...

now.... take 9/38... and compare that with 1/7
9 ..... 1
--- ... ---
38 .... 7

now if you cross-multiply 9 and 7 you get 63... so write 63 over the 9 of 9/38....

now cross-multiply 38 and 1... you get 38... so write 38 over the 1 in 1 /7

38 is less than 63.... therefore that tells you that the fraction on the right (in this case 1/7) is the smaller of the two fractions...

you now know that 1/7 is less than 9/38....

NOW... you know in order from smallest to biggest... the order of these 3 fractions is first 1/7, next 9/38, and biggest is 3/11...

That's how you figure out fractions, bigger or smaller, by hand without using a calculator....

it doesn't matter which of the two fractions you are comparing... which one is on the left or right.... the key is when you are cross-multiplying... is that you write the 'resulting product' ABOVE the numerator of the fraction... not under the denominator

This method will always work.... and not only is it fool-proof... but it is much easier and faster/quicker than finding the lowest common denominator (LCD)...

Answer 3

you gotta make all the numbers below to the same number. and imagine a cake, being cut into that number of slices. The number on top are the one being choosen. So which took the most cake means the fraction is the greatest.

I had fraction problem even when I entered High School. To be honest, some of the questions dealing fraction beats me. I'm in a University already! LoL. But trust me, my way is right.

Answer 4

you can divide them in a calcualtor. You need to find the least common denominator. And multiply top and bottom to get to the the lcd. Then the biggest number on top is greatest.

3/11 is greatest, btw

Answer 5

You have to do the division and get the decimal numbers to compare

1/7 = 0.142857...
3/11 = 0.272727... so it is larger than 0.14 (almost 2x larger)

You do 9 divided by 38 and see if it is smaller than 0.142857.. or not.

.

Answer 6

Either convert them to a decimal, or to the lowest common denominator. Check your text book to see how to do this.

Answer 7

find the common denominator