What is larger 3/8 or 5/16
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To determine which fraction is larger between ( \frac{3}{8} ) and ( \frac{5}{16} ), we can use a few different methods, including converting the fractions to a common denominator or comparing their decimal equivalents.
Common Denominator Method
- Identify the denominators: The denominators of the fractions are 8 and 16.
- Find the least common denominator (LCD): The least common multiple of 8 and 16 is 16. This will be our common denominator.
- Convert the fractions:
- For ( \frac{3}{8} ), we need to convert it to a fraction with 16 as the denominator. We do this by multiplying both the numerator and denominator by 2:
[
\frac{3}{8} = \frac{3 \times 2}{8 \times 2} = \frac{6}{16}
] - The fraction ( \frac{5}{16} ) already has 16 as the denominator, so it remains ( \frac{5}{16} ).
- Compare the fractions: Now we compare ( \frac{6}{16} ) and ( \frac{5}{16} ):
- Since the denominators are the same, we can directly compare the numerators.
- ( 6 > 5 ), which means ( \frac{6}{16} > \frac{5}{16} ).
Conclusion
Based on the comparison, we find that:
[
\frac{3}{8} > \frac{5}{16}
]
Alternative Method: Decimal Conversion
For further verification, we can also convert the fractions into decimal form:
- ( \frac{3}{8} = 0.375 )
- ( \frac{5}{16} = 0.3125 )
Since ( 0.375 > 0.3125 ), this confirms our previous conclusion.
In summary, ( \frac{3}{8} ) is larger than ( \frac{5}{16} ).