Welcome to our Ordering and Comparing Rational Numbers page.
Here you will find our range of 6th Grade worksheets and support
which will help you learn to order and compare negative numbers, fractions and decimals.
Want to test yourself to see how well you have understood this skill?.
Here you will find a range of worksheets to help you to compare and order rational numbers and position them on a number line.
Ordering a set of rational numbers can bring together many different skills, from using absolute value to comparing decimals or fractions and understanding negative numbers.
The sheets have been put in order of difficulty, with the easiest first.
Each problem sheet comes complete with an answer sheet.
We have split our sheets into 3 different sections:
Using these sheets will help you to practice these skills:
Quicklinks to ...
A rational number is a number that can be made by dividing one integer by another (non-zero) integer.
All rational numbers can be written in the form a/b , where a and b are both integers and b is not equal to zero.
All integers, fractions, repeating decimals and terminating decimals (which do not go on forever) are rational numbers.
These numbers are rational and can all be written in the form a/b:
These numbers are not rational and cannot be written in the form a/b:
There are a few different skills you need to be able to do to order a set of rational numbers:
You need to be able to:
Once you have these skills, you are ready to order your rational numbers!
How to Order a set of Rational Numbers
\[ 3.25, \; -2, \; |-1 {1 \over 2} |, \; {3 \over 4}, \; -{7 \over 2} \]
Step 1) Convert any improper fractions into mixed numbers.
\[ {7 \over 2} = 3 {1 \over 2} \]
So \[ -{7 \over 2} = -3 {1 \over 2} \]
Step 2) Sort the numbers into 2 groups: negative and positive:
Negative numbers are:
Positive numbers are:
Step 3) Order the negative numbers from least to greatest.
The number which is the most negative has the lowest value.
\[ Least \; to \; Greatest: \; -3 {1 \over 2}, \; -2 \]
Step 4) Put the positive numbers in order from least to greatest.
\[ |-1 {1 \over 2}| = 1 {1 \over 2} \]
\[ Least \; to \; Greatest: \; {3 \over 4}, \; |-1 {1 \over 2}|, \; 3.25 \]
Step 5) Put the two lists together:
\[ -3 {1 \over 2}, \; -2, \; {3 \over 4}, \; |-1 {1 \over 2}|, \; 3.25 \]
\[ The \; order \; is \; - {7 \over 2}, \; -2, \; {3 \over 4}, \; |-1 {1 \over 2}|, \; 3.25 \]
\[ |-4|, \; {7 \over 4}, \; -0.5, \; |-1.8|, \; -1 {2 \over 3} \]
Step 1) Convert any improper fractions into mixed numbers.
\[ {7 \over 4} = 1 {3 \over 4} \]
Step 2) Sort the numbers into 2 groups: negative and positive:
Negative numbers are:
Positive numbers are:
Step 3) Order the negative numbers from least to greatest.
The number which is the most negative has the lowest value.
\[ Least \; to \; Greatest: \; -1 {2 \over 3}, \; -0.5 \]
Step 4) Put the positive numbers in order from least to greatest.
\[ 1 {3 \over 4} = 1.75 \; which \; is \; less \; than \; 1.8 \]
\[ Least \; to \; Greatest: \; 1 {3 \over 4}, \; |-1.8|, \; |-4| \]
Step 5) Put the two lists together:
\[ -1 {2 \over 3}, \; -0.5, \; 1 {3 \over 4}, \; |-1.8|, \; |-4| \]
\[ The \; order \; is \; -1 {2 \over 3}, \; -0.5, \; {7 \over 4}, \; |-1.8|, \; |-4| \]
These sheets are put in order of difficulty with the easiest sheet first.
The sheets have been split into 3 sections:
Take a look at some more of our worksheets similar to these.
The sheets on this page have been specially designed for 6th graders and are a great introduction to expressions and equations.
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This quiz tests your skill and apply your knowledge of ordering rational numbers here.
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