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This can be solved dividing 5/16 by 7/18. If the answer is greater than 1, it means that 5/16 is greater than 7/18. If the answer is less than 1, then we'll conclude that 5/16 is smaller than 7/18.
So we have:
Nowm recall that dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its inverse. So we get that the above expression is the same as:
Now simplify the 16 and the 18 dividing them by 2, to get:
The result of this multiplication is:
Since this fraction is smaller than 1 (because 45 is smaller than 56) we conclude that 5/16 is smaller than 7/18.
WHICH RATIONAL NUMBER IS GREATER? 5/16 OR 7/18?
Two ways to find out:
1. The first way is to change each to a decimal
5/16 = .3125
7/18 = .388888888···
You can easily tell that the second is larger than the first.
Or
2. Get the least common denominator.
The least common denominator of 16 and 18 is 144
5/16 = 45/144
7/18 = 56/144
Obviously 56 144ths is greater than 45 144ths.
Edwin
AnlytcPhil@aol.com
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