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Free 3rd Grade Fractions Worksheets (comparing and equivalent)

These 3rd grade fractions worksheets are generated rather than scanned, which means you can print a different sheet every day of the week without paying for a subscription or running out of practice. You will see items like 1/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =) and 5/7 = 20/□ on the printed page, with < and 28 waiting on the answer key so nobody has to redo the arithmetic.

📄 3RD GRADE FRACTIONS WORKSHEETS — A NEW SHEET EVERY TIME YOU PRESS THE BUTTON
🎲 New set of problems

‘New set of problems’ opens the generator in its own tab. There you can change the problem count and turn the answer key on or off. ‘Print or save as PDF’ opens the print dialog — choose Save as PDF in the printer list to keep the file. The sheet fits US Letter and A4, and the answer key prints on its own page.

What this worksheet practises

Every sheet is regenerated, so the child cannot recognise pairs from yesterday.

Comparing fractions is where children discover that a bigger denominator means smaller pieces. Deciding 1/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =) correctly — the answer is < — requires that idea, not just a look at the numbers.

Cross-multiplication is quick and opaque. If the child uses it on 7/10 □ 1/10 (write >, < or =), ask once why it works: both fractions are being put over the same denominator without anyone writing it down.

There are three reliable methods: common denominators, cross-multiplication, and comparison to a benchmark like one half. This sheet works with all three, and it is worth trying each on the same problem.

Teachers usually place 3rd grade fractions worksheets alongside the fraction comparison expectations for this grade, which is where the skill sits in the majority of US state frameworks.

Examples taken from this worksheet

These six come from the sheet loaded on this page. Press the button and the numbers change, but the shape stays the same (denominators up to 10).
#ProblemAnswerWhat to check
11/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =)<Watch for: assuming a bigger denominator means a bigger fraction
25/7 = 20/□28Check: converting to decimals and rounding too early
37/10 □ 1/10 (write >, < or =)>Look at: cross-multiplying in the wrong direction
43/6 = 15/□30Ask about: missing equal pairs
52/3 □ 7/10 (write >, < or =)<Watch for: comparing by drawing every time
61/2 = □/126Check: comparing numerators only

Start with one worked example

A good first problem to do together is 1/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =), which comes out at <. Do 1/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =) once with the child narrating, then hand over the pencil and start the clock on the other 20 problems.

Work 3/6 = 15/□ out loud as a demonstration. It gives 30. Children who hear 3/6 = 15/□ reasoned through once at the start of a session make noticeably fewer errors in the ten minutes that follow.

Three mistakes we see most often

Getting the most out of 10 minutes a day

  1. Read the first two problems out loud together before starting the clock. It costs fifteen seconds and removes most of the 'I did not understand the question' errors.
  2. Keep the session to about 10 minutes. A 3rd grader who is still counting on fingers will need longer than that on a line like 1/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =), and that is fine: the timer is a measurement, never a punishment.
  3. Stop the session at the time limit even if the sheet is unfinished, and note where the child got to. A half sheet done well is better data than a whole sheet rushed.
  4. Use a pencil, not a pen. Children working on fractions rethink far more often when erasing is allowed, and you get to see exactly where the rethinking happened on an item like 7/10 □ 1/10 (write >, < or =).
  5. Mark it together straight away while the working is still fresh, so a slip like the one behind 7/10 □ 1/10 (write >, < or =) can be talked through instead of guessed at.

Marking the sheet

Every generated sheet carries its own key on a separate printed page, which lets a child self-mark without seeing the answers while they work.

Answers appear next to their question numbers, so a wrong item like 5/7 = 20/□ can be found in the key in a second and re-worked while it is still fresh.

Printing and saving as PDF

To save these 3rd grade fractions worksheets instead of printing them, choose 'Save as PDF' in the printer list. You get the worksheet and the answer key as a single PDF, on Letter or A4 depending on your printer settings.

Printing works the same on US Letter and A4, because the layout uses relative widths rather than fixed inches. Set margins to default and scaling to 100%, and all 20 problems fit.

Frequently asked questions

Why do children find this harder than comparing whole numbers?
Because two numbers control the value and they pull in opposite directions. It takes practice before that stops being counter-intuitive.
Are these worksheets really free?
Yes, completely. The page is supported by advertising, not by subscriptions, so there is no limit on how many 3rd grade fractions worksheets you print.
What is the quickest method?
Compare each fraction to one half first. It settles most pairs immediately, and only the ones on the same side of a half need common denominators or cross-multiplication.
Is the answer key included?
Yes, on its own page behind the worksheet. For the sheet loaded right now it shows < for 1/10 □ 1/2 (write >, < or =) and 28 for 5/7 = 20/□.

When these become easy, move along the related links below rather than adding more problems to the same sheet.

More worksheets like this

→ Free 3rd Grade Math Worksheets  ·  → Free Fractions Worksheets

Free printable math worksheets from a working math academy director in Korea. Problems come from our own code, not from a published workbook. Every sheet prints on US Letter or A4 with its answer key. All worksheets · Worksheet generator · Korean site
Last updated: 2026-09-13