Question

Why is 1/8 smaller than 1/3

Answer 1

Answer:

1/8, or 0.125, is smaller than 1/3, or 0.333..., because they have the same numerator, but they are divided into different parts.

Maybe it is easier to see with a common denominator (just multiply the numerator and the denominator of each fraction by a number, so that they have equal denominators and are easier to compare):

$\frac{1}{8} = \frac{3}{24}\\\\\frac{1}{3}=\frac{8}{24}$

As you might know, 3/24 is smaller than 8/24. Therefore, their equivalent expressions, (1/8 and 1/3), follow the same rule.

Answer 2

If you change 1/3 to a decimal it becomes 0.333, if you change 1/8 to a decimal it becomes 0.125. 0.125 is smaller than 0.333, therefore 1/3 is the bigger fraction.