Fractions · lesson 5 of 24 · free

Unit fractions: which piece is bigger? — Fractions for kids

A unit fraction has 1 on top: 1/2, 1/3, 1/8 … Sharing a cake among 3 gives bigger slices than sharing it among 8, so 1/3 is bigger than 1/8 — even though 8 is bigger than 3.

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The method

More pieces, smaller pieces — “with top number 1, the bigger the bottom number, the smaller the fraction”

  1. Top number 1: the smaller the bottom number, the bigger the fraction.
  2. b pieces of 1/b make 1 whole; for w wholes you need w × b pieces.
  3. 1/b of a number = the number ÷ b.

Use it for: Comparing fractions in Class 3–5, sharing fairly, and checking answers to sharing problems.

🧮 Check your own sums with the free Fraction calculator — it shows the working.

Worked example: Which is bigger: 1/3 or 1/8? → 1/3

  1. Top number 1: a bigger bottom number means more pieces, so each piece is smaller.
  2. 3 is smaller than 8, so thirds are bigger pieces: 1/3 > 1/8.

Check: 3 thirds make 1 whole but 8 eighths are needed — so each third is bigger ✓

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✏️ Practice

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🏁 Lesson 5 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

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🖨️ Unit Fractions Worksheet

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