Fractions
By Lisa Williams
Rule #1 of fractions is: ANYTHING over itself = 1.
Examples:
| 2 — = 1 2 | 1046 —– = 1 1046 | a — = 1 a | xy7z ——- = 1 xy7z |
numerator
—————–
denominator
The numerator is the top number in the fraction. This number tells how many parts you have.
———————————————————————————————–
The denominator is the bottom number of the fraction this number tells how many parts it takes to = 1
SO… if you had the fraction 3/4…
the numerator is 3 which tells you how many parts you have.
————————————————————————————-
the denominator is 4 which tells you that it is broken into 4 parts
Another example
if you had 5/4
5 tells how many parts you have
—————————————————–
4 tells you it only takes 4 to make a whole
So 5/4 can be written as
4 1 5
— + — = — or 1¼
4 4 4
Rule # 2 of Fractions is: Always reduce your answers if possible. Make sure the fraction is in the lowest possible terms.
Never leave 2/4 . Reduce it to 1/2.
To reduce fractions break big numbers down by breaking them up into their
factors. ( factor are numbers multiplied together to get a bigger number:
2 x 3 = 6 ; 2 & 3 are the factors)
You can break big numbers down by factoring them, and then go back to rule # one of anything over itself = 1.
Example:
56
—-
104
These numbers break into their factors like this:
56 = 7 x 8
————
104 = 13 x 8
the 8’s cancel out because anything over itself = 1
leaving you:
7
—
13
Assignment
Reduce the following by breaking the larger numbers into their factors.
(1.) 24 / 50
(2.) 100/110
(3.) 56/72
(4.) 65/90
(5.) 28/35
(6.) 16/56
(7.) 33/121
(8.) 18/24
(9.) 36/42
(10.) 6/8
Answers
| (1.) | 24 2 x 12 — = ——- 50 2 x 25 | 12 = — 25 |
| (2.) | 100 10 x 10 —- = ——– 110 10 x 11 | 10 = — 11 |
| (3.) | 56 8 x 7 — = ——- 72 8 x 9 | 7 = — 9 |
| (4.) | 65 5 x 13 — = ——- 90 5 x 18 | 13 = — 18 |
| (5.) | 28 4 x 7 — = —– 35 5 x 7 | 4 = — 5 |
| (6.) | 16 8 x 2 — = ——- 56 8 x 7 | 2 = — 7 |
| (7.) | 33 11 x 3 —- = ——- 121 11 x 11 | 3 = — 11 |
| (8.) | 18 6 x 3 — = ——- 24 6 x 4 | 3 = — 4 |
| (9.) | 36 6 x 6 — = —— 42 6 x 7 | 6 = — 6 |
| (10.) | 6 3 x 2 — = ——- 8 4 x 2 | 3 = — 4 |
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