What is bigger, 1/4 or 5/16?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking to compare the two fractions, 1/4 and 5/16, to determine which one is larger.

Answer

$ \frac{5}{16} $ is larger than $ \frac{1}{4} $.
Answer for screen readers

The fraction $ \frac{5}{16} $ is larger than $ \frac{1}{4} $.

Steps to Solve

  1. Find a Common Denominator

To compare the fractions $ \frac{1}{4} $ and $ \frac{5}{16} $, we first need a common denominator. The denominators are 4 and 16; the least common denominator (LCD) is 16.

  1. Convert the Fractions

Now we convert $ \frac{1}{4} $ to a fraction with a denominator of 16. We can do this by multiplying both the numerator and the denominator by 4:

$$ \frac{1}{4} = \frac{1 \times 4}{4 \times 4} = \frac{4}{16} $$

  1. Compare the Converted Fractions

Now that we have both fractions with the same denominator:

  • $ \frac{4}{16} $
  • $ \frac{5}{16} $

We can compare their numerators. Since 4 is less than 5, we can conclude:

$$ \frac{4}{16} < \frac{5}{16} $$

  1. Conclusion

Thus, we can state that $ \frac{1}{4} < \frac{5}{16} $, so $ \frac{5}{16} $ is the larger fraction.

The fraction $ \frac{5}{16} $ is larger than $ \frac{1}{4} $.

More Information

Understanding how to find a common denominator is essential when comparing fractions. This process ensures that you can easily see which fraction is greater.

Tips

  • A common mistake is to compare fractions without converting them to a common denominator, leading to incorrect conclusions. Always find a common denominator first.

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