Unit 1: Fractions and Decimals.

ACTIVITIES 2

Mathematics - 3 ESO

UNIT 1: Fractions and Decimals Rational Numbers

The numbers that fall between the integers on the number line are either rational or irrational. In this section, we discuss the rational numbers. Rational numbers are used to express a part of a whole, a part of a quantity.

(Five eighths)

The number below the fraction line is called denominator, and expresses the number of parts into which the whole is divided. The number above the fraction line is called the numerator, and expresses the number of parts taken. A more formal definition of rational numbers could be: The set of rational numbers, denoted by , is the set of all numbers of the form

, where p and q are integers, and

0.

So any number that can be expressed as a quotient of two integers (denominator not zero) is a rational number:

5 = 0.833. .. 6

10 =2 5

25 = 6.25 4

3 = 0.42857142 7

When the numerator and denominator have a common divisor, we can reduce the fraction to its lowest terms (or simplest form):

6 3 = = 18 9

= 0.3333

A fraction is said to be in its lowest terms (or reduced, or simplified) when the numerator and the denominator are relatively prime.

IES Albayzn (Granada)

Pgina 1

Unit 1: Fractions and Decimals. ACTIVITIES 2

Mathematics - 3 ESO

Now we can introduce the definition of equivalent fractions:

Two fractions are said to be equivalent when simplifying both of them produces the same fraction, which cannot be further reduced. Equivalent fractions look different but represent the same portion of the whole. Equivalent fractions have the same numerical value. They are represented by the same rational number. Equivalent fractions are represented by the same point on the number line. We can test if two fractions are equivalent by cross-multiplying (or cross-product) their numerators and denominators.

Proper and Improper Fractions. Mixed Numbers. Rational numbers less than 1 or greater than -1 are represented by proper fractions. A proper fraction is a fraction whose numerator is less than its denominator:

4 7
Consider the number

5 11

2 .

It is an example of a mixed number. It is called a

mixed number because it consists of an integer, 2, and a fraction equal to 2 +

and it is

. The mixed number 4

means

4+

Rational numbers greater than 1 or less than -1 that are not integers may be represented as mixed numbers, or as improper fractions. An improper fraction is a fraction whose numerator is greater than its denominator.

=2+

3 4

IES Albayzn (Granada)

Pgina 2

Unit 1: Fractions and Decimals. ACTIVITIES 2

Mathematics - 3 ESO

Exercises
1) How do you read fractions? Complete the following table using the rules to read and write fractions.

Fraction 1 2 3 2 5 3 3 4 2 5 1 8 5 9

Write down how the fraction is read

2) Simplify or cancel each of these fractions down to their simplest form. a)

b)

c)

d)

3) Fill in the required number:

a)

b)

c)

d)

IES Albayzn (Granada)

Pgina 3

Unit 1: Fractions and Decimals. ACTIVITIES 2

Mathematics - 3 ESO

Finding Fractions of quantities: Problems Involving Fractions

1) Calculate in your head and then answer: a) b) c) d) How many minutes are there in 1/5 of an hour How many minutes are there in 5/6 of an hour What fraction of an hour is 20 minutes? What fraction of an hour is 40 minutes?

2) A shelf in a supermarket holds 80 one-quarter litre bottles and 44 one and a half litre bottles. How many litres of water are there on the self? 3) When David Conway finished his first year of high school, his height was 69 inches. When he returned to school after the summer, Davids height was 71 inches. How much did Davids height increase over the summer? (1 inch = 2.54 cm) 4) A lorrys tank contains 225 litres of diesel, and the gauge says the tank is full. How many litres can the tank hold? 5) In a bicycle race, cyclist A has covered 4/5 of the total route and has 21 km left before the finish line. How many kilometres are left before cyclist B reaches the finish line, if he has covered 6/7 of the route? 6) A bag contains twenty beads numbered from 1 to 20. a) Which of the bead numbers are multiples of 5? b) Express as a fraction the probability of obtaining a multiple of 5 by drawing one bead at random from the bag Dont Forget = 7) A vineyard sells two-fifths of its harvest to a wholesaler, and one-third of the rest to a supermarket. If the vineyard still has 40 hectolitres left, how much did it produce?

IES Albayzn (Granada)

Pgina 4