Compare Fractions: Find the Missing Symbol Between 1/7 and 4/14

To solve this problem, let's proceed as follows:

Step 1: Simplify the fractions.
The first fraction is $\frac{1}{7}$, which is already in its simplest form.
The second fraction is $\frac{4}{14}$, which can be simplified by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, 2:
$\frac{4 \div 2}{14 \div 2} = \frac{2}{7}$.

Step 2: Compare the simplified fractions.
Now, compare $\frac{1}{7}$ and $\frac{2}{7}$.
Since both fractions have the same denominator (7), we compare the numerators directly:
Since $1 < 2$, it follows that $\frac{1}{7} < \frac{2}{7}$.

Therefore, the missing sign in $\frac{1}{7} ☐ \frac{4}{14}$ is $\lt$.

The correct answer to this problem is $\lt$.