Ordering Unit Fractions

Subtitle
How to order unit fractions?

▪Liza
  prepared 3 colored strips of paper for her original piece.
She needs of a red strip, of a blue strip, and of a yellow strip.
Which colored strip of paper will be the longest?
Which is the shortest?
▪The
  fractions , , and are considered as unit fractions.

Let us identify the greatest fraction by using fraction models.

The first fraction can be represented as
▪The
  second fraction can be represented as

The second fraction can be represented as

 Putting the three fraction models together, we have

 Compare the shaded parts of each

Fraction model.
We can see clearly that is the longest
among the three while is the shortest.
Therefore, the longest strip of paper is
red and the shortest strip is yellow.
▪In  symbols, we may say that

These fractions are arranged from greatest to least, or

descending order.
Fractions can also be arranged from least to greatest or
ascending order.
That is, .
To arrange fractions in descending or ascending order, the
unit fraction that has the greater denominator has the lesser
value.
Study the following examples.

▪Illustrate
  the following using Answers:
fraction models to show
ascending or descending order of
unit fractions.
1. ; descending order
2. ; ascending order
Remember:

▪ Descending order is an arrangement from greatest to least

while an ascending order is an arrangement from least to
greatest.
▪ In arranging unit fractions in descending or ascending
order, the unit fraction with greater denominator has the
lesser value.