Math 6H ( Period 3)

Comparing & Ordering Fractions 2.6 

When you decide tat one fraction is less than another fraction, you are comparing fractions. WHen you list fractions from least to greatest you are ordering fractions. You use the symbols > and < to replace words when you compare fractions
> means greater than
< means less than
Compare 2/5 and 3/5
Two fractions with the same denominator are easy to compare. The fraction with the lesser numerator is lesser
so 2/5 < 3/5 because 2<3 p="p">
What about the same numerator ?
 Write 2/5, 2/3, and 2/4 in order
The larger number in the denominator is the smaller sized fraction.
so 2/5 < 2/4< 2/3

What about
8/32  8/24 and 8/16
Using the same process above
8/32 < 8/24 < 8/16
and if you simplify each of the fractions ( from our lesson in 2.4
8/32 = 1/4
8/24 = 1/3
8/16 = 1/2
so we could use the same rule and still get the same results since
1/4 < 1/3< 1/2

What if you were comparing 3/4 and 5/6?
You might need to change to a common denominator
One of the common denominators is always the product of the two denominators so 4 times 6 = 24
3/4 ( 6/6) = 18/24
5/6( 4/4) = 20/24
since 18/24 < 20/24
3/4 < 5/6

OR you could use the Least Common Denominator (LCD) which is really the Least Common Multiple of the Denominators!
LCM(4, 6) = 12 so
change 3/4 into  9/12
and 5/6 = 10/12
since 9/12 , 10/12
3/4 < 5/6

One additional method
When comparing two fractions,