Order simple fractions | Year 3 Mathematics PDF Download

Two Types of Fractions

• Unit Fractions: These are fractions where the numerator is 1. They help us understand how much of the whole is being discussed.
• Fractions with the Same Denominator: These fractions also indicate parts of a whole, but with different numerators and denominators.

Ordering Unit Fractions

A unit fraction has a numerator of 1 and can have any whole number as its denominator, symbolizing one part of a whole.

The trick with ordering unit fractions is to look at the denominator.
The bigger the denominator, the smaller the fraction!
Think about a pizza. If you were sharing a pizza between two people, each person would get quite a large piece. They would both get 1/2.
Now imagine you were sharing the same sized pizza with eight people.
The pizza would have to be cut up into even smaller pieces. Each person would only eat 1/8.
You can see that 1/2 is a larger fraction than 1/8.

Solved Example

Example: Take a look at these four fractions. They are all unit fractions and they all have different denominators.
Let's look at ordering them from smallest to largest.
There you go! The fraction with the smallest denominator (3) is the largest fraction.

Ordering fractions with the same denominator

• When ordering fractions with the same denominator, focus on the numerator, as the denominator remains constant.
• The numerator is important because it indicates how many parts of the whole are present.
• For example, consider a cake divided into 8 equal slices. You eat 2 slices, but your friend eats 4 slices. You consumed less cake than your friend.
  You had 2/8 of the cake, while your friend had 4/8.

Solved Example

Example: Can you order these fractions from largest to smallest?
Which fraction has the largest numerator? Start with this.
Then order the rest in descending order.