Steps to Order Rational Numbers from Least to Greatest

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔢 Rational numbers include fractions, decimals, and integers.
• ➕ To compare, convert all numbers to a common format (usually decimals or fractions with a common denominator).
• ➖ Negative numbers are always less than positive numbers. The further a negative number is from zero, the smaller it is.
• ➗ For fractions, a larger numerator (when denominators are the same) means a larger number. A smaller denominator (when numerators are the same) means a larger number.
• 🧮 Decimals are ordered by comparing place values from left to right (tenths, hundredths, thousandths, etc.).
• 💡 Tip: Use a number line to visualize the order of numbers!

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following sets of rational numbers is ordered from least to greatest?
   1. -0.5, -\frac{1}{4}, 0, \frac{1}{3}
   2. -\frac{1}{4}, -0.5, 0, \frac{1}{3}
   3. \frac{1}{3}, 0, -\frac{1}{4}, -0.5
   4. 0, \frac{1}{3}, -0.5, -\frac{1}{4}
2. Which of these numbers is the smallest?
   1. \frac{2}{5}
   2. 0.3
   3. \frac{1}{3}
   4. 0.25
3. Order the following numbers from least to greatest: -2, 1.5, -0.5, \frac{1}{4}
   1. -2, -0.5, \frac{1}{4}, 1.5
   2. 1.5, \frac{1}{4}, -0.5, -2
   3. -0.5, -2, \frac{1}{4}, 1.5
   4. \frac{1}{4}, 1.5, -2, -0.5
4. Which of the following fractions is the largest?
   1. \frac{3}{8}
   2. \frac{5}{12}
   3. \frac{1}{4}
   4. \frac{2}{6}
5. Which list is ordered correctly from least to greatest?
   1. -\frac{3}{4}, -0.25, 0.5, \frac{1}{2}
   2. -0.25, -\frac{3}{4}, \frac{1}{2}, 0.5
   3. -\frac{3}{4}, -0.25, \frac{1}{2}, 0.5
   4. -0.25, -\frac{3}{4}, 0.5, \frac{1}{2}
6. Order these decimals from least to greatest: 0.6, 0.06, 0.66, 0.006
   1. 0.66, 0.6, 0.06, 0.006
   2. 0.006, 0.06, 0.6, 0.66
   3. 0.06, 0.006, 0.6, 0.66
   4. 0.6, 0.66, 0.006, 0.06
7. Which of the following represents the numbers -1.2, -1.5, -1.05 ordered from least to greatest?
   1. -1.05, -1.2, -1.5
   2. -1.5, -1.2, -1.05
   3. -1.2, -1.5, -1.05
   4. -1.05, -1.5, -1.2