Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

LESSON 3.3
Ordering Rational Numbers
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Test Your Prerequisite Skills 2

DepEd Competency 2

Objectives 3

Warm-Up! 3

Learn about It! 4

Let’s Practice! 6

Check Your Understanding 13

Key Points 14

Bibliography 14
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Lesson 3.3
Ordering Rational Numbers

Fig 1. A square divided into parts

Introduction
Things and concepts are easier to understand and break down if a certain order is followed.
Take the illustration above as an example. Ordering the values of these rational numbers
can help us find their relationship easier. Similarly, arranging concepts and ideas by
following steps, rules, and other tools can help us understand their meaning and their
relationship with other concepts.

1
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Comparing and ordering rational numbers expressed in different forms is a very useful skill,
as it can help us solve real-world problems. In this lesson, you will learn to arrange rational
numbers and apply their concept to real-world problems.

Test Your Prerequisite Skills

Before you get started, answer the following items on a separate sheet of paper. This will
help you assess your prior knowledge and practice some skills that you will need in studying
this lesson. Show your complete solution.

1. Arrange the following from least to greatest.

a. 42, 24, 31, 15, 25

b. 8, −5, 3, 0, 2, −7
c.
4 4 4 4 4
, , , ,
3 5 10 7 2

d.
1 7 9 3 5
, , , ,
2 2 2 2 2

e. 0.12, 0.075, 1.3, 0.175, 2.13

DepEd Competency
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to arrange rational numbers on a
number line.

2
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

● Accurately determine the larger or smaller rational number given any two
rational numbers.

● Correctly illustrate a rational number on a number line.

● Correctly arrange a rational number on a number line.

Warm-Up!
Beware of Papercuts!

Materials
● six rectangular strips of paper
● marker
● ruler
● scissors

Instructions
1. This activity may be done in pairs.
2. Fold and cut strips of paper as shown in the figure below.

1
2

3
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

1
4
1
8
1
16
1
32

3. Model each fraction using the strips of paper, then answer the following questions.
2 5
a. Is 8
greater than 16
?
5 1
b. Is 32
greater than 4?
3 10
c. Is greater than ?
4 16
1 4
d. Is 2
greater than 32
?
11 3
e. Is greater than ?
16 8

Learn about It!

In Warm Up!, you were able to compare rational numbers that are in fraction form using
visual means. Knowing how to compare two rational numbers is necessary in ordering
them, either in ascending or descending order.

Essential Question
How will you compare the values of any two rational numbers?

Ordering rational numbers can be done easily if the numbers are all expressed in their
decimal form. For instance, we know that 0.23 < 0.5 < 1.333 … . However, ordering rational

4
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

numbers in fraction form may require skills in expressing dissimilar fractions into similar
ones using the concepts of prime factorization and LCD.

An even greater challenge is ordering rational numbers composed of fractions and

decimals, which may require conversion from one form (fraction) to another (decimal) and
vice versa.

Essential Question
How will you arrange rational numbers in ascending or descending order?

Consider the following problem:

In a basketball game, the team win records are as follows:

7
Red Team, 9
; Blue Team, 75%; Yellow Team, 0.70; Green
2
Team, 7 ; White Team, 0.50; and the Black Team, 0. 7̅. Arrange

the teams in descending win record.

Arranging the values on the number line, we see the following order:

Thus, the teams’ win records arranged in descending order is as follows:

5
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Team Win Record

Red Team 7
= 0. 7 ≈ 0.77
Black Team 9

Blue Team 75% = 0.75

Yellow Team 0.70
White Team 0.50
2
Green Team = 0.28
7

Let’s Practice!

Example 1
Arrange the following numbers in increasing order:

3 7 5 7
, , ,
8 9 6 12

Solution
Step 1: Write the given as similar fractions by finding the least common denominator
(LCD). This is the same as the least common multiple (LCM) of the
denominators.

6
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Step 2: Find the equivalent fractions using the LCD, 72.

3 27 5 60
= =
8 72 6 72
7 56 7 42
= =
9 72 12 72

Step 3: Arrange the fractions accordingly.

3 7 7 5
, , ,
8 12 9 6

Try It Yourself!
Arrange the following fractions in descending order:
7 2 7 3
, , ,
8 5 10 4

Example 2
Arrange the following numbers in decreasing order:

8 2
−2, , 1.05, −
9 5

Solution
Step 1: Choose a format in which to write all the values.

For this example, let us use the decimal form. This means that we must
8 2
convert the fractions 9 and − 5.

7
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

8 2
Step 2: Convert 9
and − 5 to decimals.

0.88...
9 8.00 0.4
5 2.0
− 7 20
80 −20
− 72 0
8

8 2
So, 9 = 0. 8̅ and − 5 = −0.4

Step 3: Compare and arrange the values accordingly. If necessary, use a number line
to guide you.

Thus, the numbers arranged from least to greatest are as follows:

𝟐 𝟖
−𝟐, − , , 𝟏. 𝟎𝟓
𝟓 𝟗

Try It Yourself!
Arrange the following numbers from least to greatest:
4 2
4.2, −3 , 4 , −3.72
5 3

8
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Example 3
Rewrite the following numbers in decimal form and arrange their decimal equivalents from
least to greatest:
11 2 10
−2.1, − , ,−
12 5 11

Solution
The values should be written in decimal form. This means that we have to convert the
11 2 10
fractions − 12, 5, and − 11.

11 2 10
Step 1: Convert − , , and − to decimals.
12 5 11

0.9166... 0.9090...
12 11.0000 11 10.0000
−10 8 0.4 −99
20 5 2.0 10
−12 −20 −0
0
80 100
−72 − 99
80 10

Step 2: Write the numbers as their decimal equivalents:

11 2 10
−2.1, − , ,− → −2.1, −0.916̅, 0.4, −0. 90
̅̅̅̅
12 5 11

9
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Step 3: Compare the numbers and arrange them accordingly:

11 10 2
−2.1, − ̅, −𝟎. 𝟗𝟎
, − , → −𝟐. 𝟏, −𝟎. 𝟗𝟏𝟔 ̅̅̅̅, 𝟎. 𝟒
12 11 5

Try It Yourself!
Rewrite the following numbers in decimal form and arrange their decimal equivalents
1 2
from least to greatest: 3.08, 3 , and 3 .
15 36

Real-World Problems
Example 4
A chemistry teacher asked her students to
find the volume of the liquids in similar glass
containers on their laboratory table. Then,
she tasked them to create a melody of an
increasing pitch by lining up the beakers and hitting them with a metal rod from left to right.
Based on the students’ knowledge of music, this can be done by arranging the beakers from
the greatest to the least volume. The students submitted the following measurements in
3 7 1 7
liters: , , , .
5 8 2 10
How should the beakers be arranged?

Tip: Rational numbers in fraction form can be compared using cross multiplication.

Solution
Step 1: Compare two fractions at a time. Multiply the numerator of the fraction on
the left and the denominator on the right and vice versa. Write the products
on top of the numerator used.

10
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

The fraction that corresponds to the higher product is larger than the other.

Step 2: Compare the two larger fractions and the two smaller fractions.

7 7
The two larger fractions are 8 and 10.
3 1
The two smaller fractions are 5 and 2.

7
We can then conclude that the largest among the fractions is 8 and the
1 3 7
smallest is 2
, and the middle vaues are 5
and 10
.

Step 3: If the middle fractions have not yet been compared, compare them using the
same method to find out their order.

11
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

7 3
We can see that 10 is larger than 5.

Therefore, the correct arrangement of the beakers based on their volumes is

as follows:

𝟕 𝟕 𝟑 𝟏
, , ,
𝟖 𝟏𝟎 𝟓 𝟐

Try It Yourself!
At a basketball tryout, the coach reviewed the information sheets submitted by the
applicants. The heights of players A, B, C, D, and E in centimeters were as follows:
4 1
182.88, 156.21, 182 , 156 , and 182.5625.
5 4

If the coach asked the players to line up from smallest to tallest, in what order should
they be?

12
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Check Your Understanding

1. Arrange the following sets of numbers from least to greatest:
a. 9.3, 9. ̅03
̅̅̅, 9. 3̅, 9.03̅, 9.03
1 2 8 9
b. , ,
4 9 13 16
,
8 3
c. , 2.5, − , −0.37
3 8

2
2. Gelly, Holly, Ivy, Jenny, and Kelly shared a whole pizza. Gelly ate 9 of the pizza; Holly
3 1 5 4
ate 16; Ivy ate 5; Jenny ate 27, and Kelly ate 23. Who among the girls had the largest

share of the pizza? Who had the least share?

3. Five kids went swimming and had a contest on who was able to hold his or her
breath the longest in water. The table below shows the time they were able to stay
in the pool.
Name Time (in seconds)
Elijah 25.7
2
Wanda 25
3
Trinity 25. 7̅
3
Ron 25
8
Greg 25.35

Which of them was able to hold his or her breath in the longest amount of time?
Which of them was able to hold his or her breath in the shortest amount of time?

13
Mathematics

Grade 7 • Unit 3: Rational Numbers

Key Points

● A number line is a straight line that illustrates the sequence of numbers. It is a way
to visualize the order of numbers by placing them along a line that shows their
relative sizes.
● Rational numbers may be arranged in ascending or descending order.

Bibliography

Maths Is Fun. “Real Numbers”. Accessed January 30, 2018

https://www.mathsisfun.com/sphider/search.php?query=real+numbers&submit=&se
arch=1

Purplemath. “Adding and Subtracting Fractions.” Accessed January 30, 2018.

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/fraction4.htm

14