SOLUTION: which is greater -1.23 or -1 2/5

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Question 1207009: which is greater -1.23 or -1 2/5

Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, math_tutor2020:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) (Show Source):
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Plot them on a number line. Identify the number farthest to the right. THAT is the greater number.

Answer by math_tutor2020(3817) (Show Source):
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2/5 = 0.40 so the mixed number -1 & 2/5 is equivalent to the decimal form -1.40

We are comparing: -1.23 and -1.40

For now let's ignore the negative signs. We'll come back to them.
Comparing 1.23 to 1.40 shows that 1.40 is larger (since 40 > 23).

When reintroducing the negative signs, everything will flip.
We go from 1.23 < 1.40 to -1.23 > -1.40
We conclude that -1.23 is the larger of the two values.

Multiplying both sides by -1 flips the inequality sign.
It's similar to how 4 < 5 becomes -4 > -5

Draw a number line to see what's going on. Stuff on the right is larger than stuff on the left.
For a vertical number line, a value up top is larger than a value below it.

Answer: -1.23