19. Which of the following numbers is the smallest?

A. [tex]\frac{1}{3}[/tex]
B. [tex]\frac{3}{10}[/tex]
C. [tex]\frac{2}{5}[/tex]
D. [tex]\frac{3}{8}[/tex]



Answer :

To determine which of the given fractions is the smallest, we'll compare each fraction step-by-step:

The fractions provided in the question are:
1. [tex]\( \frac{1}{3} \)[/tex]
2. [tex]\( \frac{3}{10} \)[/tex]
3. [tex]\( \frac{2}{5} \)[/tex]
4. [tex]\( \frac{3}{8} \)[/tex]

We need to compare these fractions and determine which one is the smallest. To do this, we can either find a common denominator for all the fractions or directly compare their decimal equivalents.

### Step-by-Step Comparison:

1. Convert each fraction to its decimal form:
- [tex]\( \frac{1}{3} \approx 0.3333 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( \frac{3}{10} = 0.3 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( \frac{2}{5} = 0.4 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( \frac{3}{8} = 0.375 \)[/tex]

2. List the decimal values of each fraction for easy comparison:
- [tex]\( \frac{1}{3} \approx 0.3333 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( \frac{3}{10} = 0.3 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( \frac{2}{5} = 0.4 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( \frac{3}{8} = 0.375 \)[/tex]

3. Compare the decimal values:
- [tex]\( 0.3 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 0.3333 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 0.375 \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( 0.4 \)[/tex]

4. From the list of decimal values, it is clear that [tex]\( 0.3 \)[/tex] is the smallest value.

Therefore, among the given fractions, the smallest fraction is [tex]\( \frac{3}{10} \)[/tex].