Topic 4: FRACTIONS

A fraction is part of a whole. The fraction

4 5

can be demonstrated by shading 4

portions of a whole that has been split into 5 parts.

4 5

3 7

The top number in a fraction is called the numerator and the bottom number is called the denominator. There are three types of fractions: a proper fraction has a smaller numerator than the denominator so represents a portion less than one whole: for instance an improper fraction has a numerator bigger than the denominator so represents a portion more than one whole: for instance
11 3 1 2

a mixed numeral has a whole number as well as a fraction part for instance 2 1 3
2 means the same as 2 5. 5

The fraction bar such as in

note: If your calculator has a fraction function then it will have an a b c

2 5

button a bc 9

use

2 a bc

3 19

use

a bc

1. CONVERTING IMPROPER FRACTIONS TO MIXED NUMERALS AND VICE VERSA

Converting a mixed numeral to an improper fraction Examples a) 1 1 4
4 4

as the denominator here is 4 then one whole represents so 1 1 4 =

4 1 5 + = 4 4 4

b) 2 1 3
3 3

as the denominator here is 3 then each whole represents so 2 1 3 = c) 2 1 6 = d) 3 4 5 =

6 + 6 5 + 5

3 3 1 7 + + = 3 3 3 3
1 6

6 + 6 5 5

= +

13 6 4 5

5 5

19 5

To convert the other way: Examples a) or b)

8 5 14 4

1 whole represents
3r 2 4 14

4 4 4 4 2 so there are & & & left over 4 4 4 4 4 14 so = 3 24 4

1r 3 5 8

divide 8 by 5. so

The result is 1 and 3 left over

8 5

= 1 35

2. EQUIVALENT FRACTIONS

Two fractions that are equivalent represent exactly the same portion of the whole.

1 3

2 6

This process either breaks the whole up into smaller portions or expresses the fraction in the simplest or most basic form. If you multiply both the numerator and denominator of a fraction by a number then you chop the basic fraction up into smaller portions. Examples a)
12 32 110 310 = 2 6

(as shown above)

b)

10 30

The value of the fraction is unchanged because you are multiplying by the equivalent of 1 (
2 10 or ). 2 10

Equivalent fractions are often formed when we are adding and subtracting fractions.

3. ADDING AND SUBTRACTING FRACTIONS

Adding and subtracting fractions is a process of collecting together like fractions. If the denominators are the same (like fractions) then just add or subtract the numerators. a)
3 2 5 + = 8 8 8

b)

7 3 4 = 11 11 11

When the denominators are different form equivalent fractions to make the denominators the same. Examples: a)
1 1 + 2 10

First find the common multiples of the denominators. This will let us find the lowest common denominator (LCD) 2 : 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ...... (like times tables) 10: 10, 20, 30, . 10 is the LCD - convert both fractions to 10ths :
1 1 + 2 10
= 15 1 + 2 5 10

LCD = 10, both denominators become 10 to make

1 ? into 2 10

5 1 + 10 10 6 = 10

multiply top and bottom by 5 now the fractions are like so add the numerators

b)

3 1 4 3

multiples 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, ..... 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, ... 12 is the LCD - convert both fractions to 12ths

to make to make

3 ? into multiply top and bottom by 3 4 12 1 ? into multiply top and bottom by 4 3 12

3 1 4 3

LCD = 12 -

33 14 4 3 34 9 4 = 12 12

Form equivalent fractions to make each denominator = 12 As soon as the fractions are like fractions subtract the numerators -

5 12

c)

8 5 9 6

LCD = 18

so

8 5 9 6 82 53 = 9 2 6 3 16 15 18 18 1 = 18 =

4. SIMPLIFYING FRACTIONS
When working out a fractions question, the answer should be presented as a proper fraction expressed in its simplest form or as a mixed numeral expressed in its simplest form to simplify a fraction divide the numerator and denominator by a common factor ( a common factor is a number that divides evenly into both the numerator and denominator ) Again this is equivalent to dividing by 1 so will not change the value of the fraction. Examples a) the answer to example a)
6 10

6 can be simplified 10 6 2 2 is a factor of 6 and 10 10 2

5 is a factor of both 20 and 25

3 5 = 4 5

b)

20 25
80 140

20 5 25 5

c)

10 is a factor of 80 and 140

80 10 8 = 140 10 14

(usually when 10 or a power of 10 is the common factor 1 nought on the top is cancelled out with 1 nought on the bottom) 80 / 8 = 140 / 14 2 8 4 2 is a factor of 8 and 14 = 14 2 7

d)

36 16

36 4 9 = 16 4 4

as this answer is an improper fraction, convert to a

mixed numeral
9 = 2 14 4

5. MULTIPLYING FRACTIONS
What it means: Multiplying fractions means chopping the fraction up. For example a)
1 1 1 1 means find of . 2 2 2 2

= =
1 1 1 1 of = 2 2 2 2

1 2

what portion of the whole does this piece represent??

1 3 1 3 of means find 3 10 3 10

b)

3 10

1 3 1 3 of = 3 10 3 10

what portion of the whole does this piece represent?? How to do it: The rule when multiplying fractions is to multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators. Then simplify the answer if possible. Examples a)
1 1 1 1 1 = = 2 2 22 4
1 3 1 3 3 3 1 = = = 3 10 3 10 30 3 10

b)

or an alternative method here is to cancel or simplify before multiplying out

1 3 1 3 3=1 1 1 1 = = = 3 10 3 3=1 10 1 10 10

You are still applying the equivalent fraction process

3 3

before rather than after multiplying out. This has the benefit of keeping the numbers smaller. c)
4 6 9 18
4 6 4 6 24 2 = = 9 14 9 14 126 2 = 12 3 63 3 = 4 21

3 1 = only doing it 3 1

or
4 5 7

4 6 4 2=2 6 3=2 2 2 4 = = = 9 14 9 3=3 14 2 =7 3 7 21

d)

note: any whole number can be written as a fraction by using 1 as the denominator.
4 5 7 = 4 5 1 7 = 4 5 20 = = 2 67 1 7 7

e)

3 20 8

3 20 8 1

3 20 8 1

60 2 8 2

30 2 4 2

15 = 7 12 2

or

3 20 3 20 4 =5 3 5 15 = = = = 7 12 8 1 8 4 =2 1 2 1 2

6. DIVIDING FRACTIONS
What it means: When dividing fractions you are asking how many shares you have a)
5 1 8 4

is asking how many one quarter shares there are in

5 8

5 8 1 4

How many Each

1 5 s in ??? 4 8

2 5 ths represents a one quarter share, so ths represents just over 2 8 8

shares

b)

1 5 1 is asking how many five eights shares are in 4 8 4

5 1 is a bigger fraction than so the answer will be less than 8 4

one . How to do it: The rule to divide fractions is that you turn it into a multiply by flipping the fraction you are dividing by. Examples a)
5 1 8 4 = 5 4 8 1 = 5 4 20 4 = 8 1 8 4 = 5 = 2 12 2

( is the same as 4 )
1 5 4 8 = 1 8 4 5 = 1 8 8 4 = 4 5 20 4 = 2 5

1 4

b)

c)

3 4 11
5 6 8

3 4 11 1
5 6 1 8 =

3 1 11 4
=

3 1 3 = 11 4 44

d)

5 8 1 6

5 8 2 =4 5 4 20 = = = 6 23 1 6 2 =3 13 3

note: to multiply and divide mixed numerals you must first convert each fraction to its improper form or use a calculator.

Fractions Exercises
Exercises set 1 Convert these mixed numerals to improper fraction form 1) 2 2 7 2) 3 3 4 3) 1 7 11 4) 12 6 10

Exercise set 2 Convert these fractions to mixed numeral form 1)

12 5

2)

16 7

3)

24 8

4)

56 9

Exercise set 3 Find the missing value to make the fractions equivalent 1)
2 ? = 7 28

2)

3 ? = 5 25

3)

4 ? = 9 36

4)

5 ? = 6 66

Exercise Set 4 Evaluate 1)

5 1 6 2 11 5 15 12

2)

1 2 + 8 5

3)

4 2 5 3

4)

3 5 + 4 6

5)

Exercise set 5 Simplify these fractions 1)

4 14

2)

25 40

3)

12 15

4)

18 12

5)

68 36

Exercise set 6 Evaluate, giving answers in simplest form 1)

1 4 2) 5 7 4 2 3 4 6 3 3) 4) 9 3 12 5 7 10

5)

5 16 6) 8

5 8

Exercise set 7 Evaluate, giving answers in simplest form 1)

2 7 3 10

2)

1 5 6 6

3)

3 1 4 5

4)

5 10 9

5) 8

10 13

Fractions answers
Set 1
7 7 2 16 + + = 7 7 7 7 11 + 7 18 = 3) 1 7 11 = 11 11

1) 2 2 7 =

2) 3 3 4 = 4) 12 6 10

4 4 4 3 15 + + + = 4 4 4 4 4 12 10 + 6 126 = = 10 10

Set 2 1)
12 = 2 25 5

2)

16 = 2 27 7

3)

24 =3 8

4)

57 = 6 39 9

Set 3
2 ? = 7 28 4 ? = 3) 9 36

1)

?=8 ? = 16

3 ? = 5 25 5 ? = 4) 6 66

2)

? = 15 ? = 55

Set 4 1) LCD = 6
5 13 5 3 2 1 = = = 6 2 3 6 6 6 3 15 2 8 5 16 21 + = + = 85 58 40 40 40 4 3 2 5 12 10 2 = = 53 35 15 15 15 33 52 9 10 19 + = + = = 1 7 12 4 3 6 2 12 12 12 114 55 44 25 19 = = 154 12 5 60 60 60

2) LCD = 40

3) LCD = 15

4) LCD = 12

5) LCD = 60 Set 5
4 2 2 = 1) 14 2 7

25 5 5 = 2) 40 5 8

12 3 4 = 3) 15 3 5

4)

18 6 3 = = 1 12 12 6 2

5)

68 2 34 2 17 = = = 1 89 36 2 18 2 9

Set 6 1)
1 4 1 4 4 = = 5 7 5 7 35

2)

4 2 42 8 = = 9 3 9 3 27
3

/1 3 4 3 4 3 1 1 = = = 3) /2 / 3 5 35 5 12 5 1
2

6 3 6 2 = 3 3 3 9 = = = 4) 7 10 7 10 2= 5 7 5 35

5 5 16 5 16 8= 5 2 10 16 = = = = = 10 5) 8 8 1 8 8= 1 1 1 1 1

5 6 5 6 2= 5 15 6) 6 = = = = 3 34 8 1 8 1 8 2= 4 4
Set 7 1) 3)
2 7 2 10 20 = = 3 10 3 7 21 3 1 3 5 15 = = = 3 34 4 5 4 1 4
5 5 10 5 1 5 5=1 1 1 1 1 10 = = = = = 9 9 1 9 10 9 10 5=2 9 2 18 10 8 10 8 13 8 2 =4 13 4 13 52 = = = = = = 10 2 5 13 1 13 1 10 1 10 2 =5 1 5 5

2)

1 5 1 6 6 1 = = = 6 6 6 5 30 5

4)

5) 8