Everyone is familiar with number lines. We use them in our daily life on a routine basis to compare values - smaller to bigger - bigger to smaller.

For example, the speedometer in a car is a number line, a ruler is a number line, the numbering on a football field is a number line, the pages in a book fall on a number line, a student's grade falls on a number line, the dial on a radio is a number line, a thermometer is a number line, etc.

. . . Fractions

Comparing "fractions" on a number line is similar to using a number line to compare integers and decimals. However, to plot fractions on a number line, they must usually be converted to decimals.

After a fraction has been converted to a decimal, plotting it on a number line is straightforward.

Comparing fractions is now a case of comparing decimals. When two different decimals are plotted on a horizontal number line, one of the numbers will be plotted to the left of the other number. The number plotted on the left is the smaller number. The number plotted on the right hand side is the larger number.

When two different numbers are plotted on a vertical number line, one of the numbers will be plotted below the other number. The number plotted below the other number is the smaller number. The number plotted highest on a vertical number line is the larger number.

For Example:

Compare the fractions and .

Number Line

The number line shows that is less than .

The number line shows that is greater than .