Comparing and equivalent fractions

To compare two fractions, think about how many parts we have and how big each part is. If the denominators are the same, the parts have the same size, so the fraction with more parts is greater: 5/8 > 3/8. If the numerators are the same, we have the same number of parts, but the parts are different. A whole cut into fewer parts has bigger parts, so 3/4 > 3/8, because fourths are bigger than eighths. Never decide by looking at the denominator alone as a normal number: a bigger denominator means smaller pieces. Use the symbols >, < and =. The points of the symbols always point to the smaller fraction. A picture of two equal bars is a good check.