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Fractions

Fractions
1
are a convenient method for representing numbers that are not whole
numbers. We use fractions in our everyday lives, for example half, third or
quarter. In this document we consider the meaning of fractions and how we
can do arithmetic with fractions.

Examples

The following diagram shows a circle divided into two halves.



The following diagram shows a circle divided into a quarter and the remaining
three quarters.












Numerator and Denominator

The top part of the fraction is called the numerator and the bottom part is called
the denominator.

For example for the fraction
3
4
, the numerator is 3 and the denominator is 4.




1
Mathcentre Fractions Guide : Video (Basic Ideas) (26 min) Video (Adding and Subtracting)(23
min) Video (Multiplying and Dividing) (33min) : Exercises Fractions (Basics) Exercises Fractions
(Adding and Subtracting) Exercises Fractions (Multiplying and Dividing)
1
2

1
2

3
4

1
4

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Simplifying Fractions

In order to write fractions in their simplest form, any common factors in the
denominator and numerator are eliminated. To be written in their simplest form,
the denominator and the numerator are relatively prime.

For example

24
32
=
2 2 2 3
2 2 2 2 2
=
3
4
.


Addition and Subtraction

From the diagrams above we can see that
1
2
+
1
2
= 1 and
1
4
+
3
4
= 1, but how do we
do fractional arithmetic in general?

For example, how do we compute
2
5
+
1
3
?

The first step is to find the lowest common denominator, that is the lowest
common multiple of the two denominators.

For the example the lowest common denominator of
2
5
,
1
3
is the lowest common
multiple of 5 and 3 and is 30.

We now write

2
5
+
1
3
=
+
30


The next step is to find the numerator of the result.

In the example since 5 6 = 30 we multiply the 2 by 6 to obtain the first
contribution to the numerator of the result. Also, since 3 10 = 30 we multiply
1 by 10 to get the second contribution to the numerator of the result.

For the example, we obtain

2
5
+
1
3
=
12 + 10
30
=
22
30
=
11
15
.


As a second example (subtraction):

2
5

1
3
=
12 10
30
=
2
30
=
1
15
.


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Multiplication

In order to multiply two fractions, the numerators are multiplied together to give
the numerator of the result and the denominators are multiplied together to give
the denominator of the result.

For example:

2
5

1
3
=
2 1
5 3
=
2
15
.



Division

In order to divide two fractions, the second fraction is turned upside down and
the division is changed to a multiplication and we then proceed as above.

For example:

2
5

1
3
=
2
5

3
1
=
2 3
5 1
=
6
5
.


Spreadsheet

The accompanying spreadsheet adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides fractions.