168k views
5 votes
Select the smallest fraction from the following list of fractions.

1/4
2/3
2 1/2
5 1/12
3/8
1/10

User Debby
by
5.5k points

2 Answers

4 votes
The smallest fraction is 1/10. As you can see on the list, the fraction with the lowest denominator is 1/10. The lower the denominator, the smaller it is if it is a unit fraction.
User Tylerlindell
by
5.3k points
3 votes
Hey!


Obviously both the fractions that contain whole numbers are to large to be considered the smallest fractions in the data set.

Original Data Set :

(1)/(4) , (2)/(3) , 2 (1)/(2) , 5 (1)/(12) , (3)/(8) , (1)/(10)

New Data Set {Removed Mixed Fractions} :

(1)/(4) , (2)/(3) , (3)/(8) , (1)/(10)

Now we find the least common divisor for the fractions in the data set and convert the fractions to there new form.

Old Data Set :

(1)/(4) , (2)/(3) , (3)/(8) , (1)/(10)

New Data Set {Common Denominators} :


(30)/(120) , (80)/(120) , (45)/(120) , (12)/(120)

And now that we can clearly see that the least fraction in the data set is
(12)/(120) which is

(1)/(10).


Hope this helps!


- Lindsey Frazier ♥
User Sergey Sheleg
by
5.4k points