A number line going from negative 1 to positive 1 in increments of 1. There are 4 equal spaces between each number.

Is −1
4
< −3
4
? Use the number line to explain your answer.

No, because Negative one-fourth is to the left of Negative three-fourths
No, because Negative one-fourth is to the right of Negative three-fourths
Yes, because Negative one-fourth is to the left of Negative three-fourths
Yes, becauseNegative one-fourth is to the right of Negative three-fourths

1 answer

To determine if \(-\frac{1}{4} < -\frac{3}{4}\), let's first understand their positions on the number line.

  1. Understanding the Values:

    • \(-\frac{1}{4}\) is a small negative number.
    • \(-\frac{3}{4}\) is a larger negative number (more negative).
  2. Position on the Number Line:

    • On a number line that extends from \(-1\) to \(1\), \(-\frac{1}{4}\) is located to the right of \(-\frac{3}{4}\) because it is closer to zero.
  3. Comparison:

    • When comparing negative numbers, the number that is further to the left is the smaller number. Since \(-\frac{1}{4}\) is to the right of \(-\frac{3}{4}\), this means that \(-\frac{1}{4}\) is greater than \(-\frac{3}{4}\).

Therefore, the answer is:

No, because Negative one-fourth is to the right of Negative three-fourths.