How to Place Fractions on a Number Line Worksheet
You must have a clear understanding of fractions as numbers in order to place them correctly on a number line. Begin by understanding visual representations of fractions, then place some very simple fractions on a number line. Finally, you need to understand that 1/4 means one part of four, 1/3 means one part of three and so on. Once this basic foundation is understood, you can proceed to put more complex fractions in order on a number line.
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Instructions
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Ordering Fractions with the Same Denominator
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1
Determine how the given fractions relate to the whole numbers on the number line by looking at the fraction's denominator, or the bottom number. If the denominator is five, then one on the number line is 5/5 because one whole is five parts of five. If the denominator is 3, then one is 3/3 because one whole is three parts of three.
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Multiply the denominator by two to find the fraction that relates to the whole number two on the number line. For example, if the denominator is 5, then 10/5 is the fraction that relates to the number two on the number line, because five is two parts of ten.
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3
Multiply the denominator by three to find the fraction that relates to the whole number three on the number line. For example, if the denominator is 3, then 9/3 is the fraction that relates to the number three on the number line, because three is three parts of nine.
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4
Continue multiplying the denominator by each whole number on the number line to place the fractions in the correct order. If the denominator is 6, then the fractions would order like this: 6/6, 12/6, 18/6, 24/6, 30/6 and so on.
Ordering Fractions with Different Denominators
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5
Find the least common multiple to convert all the given fractions into fractions that share a common denominator. To find the least common multiple, compare denominators and find the smallest number that every denominator can divide into equally. For example, given 3/4, 1/3 and 5/8, 24 would be the least common multiple because 24 can be divided equally by 4, 3, and 8.
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6
Convert the given fractions into fractions with the same denominator by taking the least common multiple, dividing it by each fraction's denominator and then multiplying by each fraction's numerator. For example, to change 3/4, begin by dividing 24 by 4 to get 6. Then multiply 6 by 3 -- the numerator -- to get 18. The converted fraction is 18/24.
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7
Order the fractions from least to greatest on the number line by putting them in ascending order by numerator. For example, 8/24, 15/24 and then 18/24.
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8
Write the fractions on the number line using the given fraction, not the converted fraction. For example, 1/3, 5/8 and 3/4.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit isolated circles graph made from fraction circles image by davidcrehner from Fotolia.com
