Comparing fractions with different denominators by finding common denominators or using benchmarks like ½.
Where your child meets this in real life: Deciding which fraction of a pizza is larger, or comparing discounts
Each SEAG paper has 28 maths questions. Questions 29 to 50 are multiple choice with five possible answers, and questions 51 to 56 need a short written answer. With 56 questions in 60 minutes across English and maths, that is about a minute per question.
SEAGReady breaks compare and order fractions into 2 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Compare and order fractions that have the same denominator by comparing their numerators
Compare and order fractions with different denominators by converting to a common denominator
Try three free questions from our compare and order fractions course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
The top bar shows the fraction of a cake Ethan ate, and the lower bar shows the fraction Noah ate. Which statement is correct?
Ronan drank 2/5 of a bottle of water. His sister drank 3/10 of an identical bottle. Who drank more water?
At a gift shop, three friends compare how much of their pocket money they each spent. Emma spent 3/12, Daniel spent 8/12, and Naomi spent 5/12. Put them in order from who spent the least to who spent the most.
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Niamh and Jacob are eating slices of the same pizza. The pizza is cut into 8 equal slices. Niamh eats 3 slices and Jacob eats 5 slices.
Who ate more pizza?
³⁄₈ vs ⁵⁄₈
Both fractions have the same denominator: 8
Step 1 of 5
Niamh and Jacob are eating slices of the same pizza. The pizza is cut into 8 equal slices. Niamh eats 3 slices and Jacob eats 5 slices.
Who ate more pizza?
Jacob ate more pizza because ⁵⁄₈ is greater than ³⁄₈.
The key insight: When denominators match, just compare the numerators - bigger numerator means bigger fraction!
Common mix-up: Comparing denominators instead of numerators. When denominators are the same, only the numerators tell you which is bigger.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in compare and order fractions, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with compare and order fractions? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed