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
- 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.
- 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:
$$ \frac{1}{4} = \frac{1 \times 4}{4 \times 4} = \frac{4}{16} $$
- 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:
$$ \frac{4}{16} < \frac{5}{16} $$
- 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.
AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify critical information