GRE Fractions Refresher

Equivalent Fractions

• Equivalent fractions can be created by multiplying/dividing the numerator and denominator by the
same number.

Examples:

1 3
2 7
1× 3 Å Multiply by 3 3 × 5 Å Multiply by 5
= =
2 × 3 Å Multiply by 3 7 × 5 Å Multiply by 5
3 1 3 15 3 15
= Å = = Å =
6 2 6 35 7 35

Practice: Fill in the blank Answers:

1 1× 6 6
a) = a) =
2 12 2 × 6 12

2 2 × 8 16
b) = b) =
3 24 3 × 8 24

4 16 4 × 4 16
c) = c) =
9 9 × 4 36

3 3 × 12 36
d) = d) =
5 60 5 × 12 60

1 7 1× 7 7
e) = e) =
4 4 × 7 28

5 5 × 7 35
f) = f) =
6 42 6 × 7 42

7 49 7 × 7 49
g) = g) =
8 8 × 7 56

2 2 × 12 24
h) = h) 9 × 12 = 108
9 108

7 7×9 63
i) = i) =
15 135 15 × 9 135

1× 49 49
j) 1 = j) =
5 245 5 × 49 245

1
GRE Fractions Refresher

numerator Æ 2
Simplifying Fractions
denominator Æ 5
• To simplify a fraction, divide the numerator and denominator by the same
number until the numerator and denominator can be simplified no further.

Examples:

40 42
56 54
40 ÷ 8 Å Divide by 8 42 ÷ 2 Å Divide by 2
= =
56 ÷ 8 Å Divide by 8 54 ÷ 2 Å Divide by 2
5 21
= = Å Can be simplified further
7 27
21 ÷ 3 Å Divide by 3
Æ

=
Cannot be 27 ÷ 3 Å Divide by 3
simplified further 7
= Å Cannot be simplified further
9

Practice: Simplify each fraction Answers:

a) 15
= a) 15 ÷ 5 = 3
20 20 ÷ 5 4
18 18 ÷ 9 2
b) = b) =
27 27 ÷ 9 3

40 40 ÷ 8 5
c) = c) =
48 48 ÷ 8 6

7 7
d) = d) (already simplified)
13 13

60 60 ÷ 30 2
e) = e) =
150 150 ÷ 30 5

39 39 ÷ 13 3
f) = f) =
52 52 ÷ 13 4

135 135 ÷ 5 27
g) = g) =
215 215 ÷ 5 43

121 121 ÷ 11 11
h) = h) =
154 154 ÷ 11 14

72 72 ÷ 36 2
i) = i) =
108 108 ÷ 36 3

2
GRE Fractions Refresher

Converting Fractions

• Let’s look at converting entire fractions to mixed fractions and converting mixed fractions
to entire fractions
Entire fractions Mixed fractions

7 1
3
2 2
20 2
6
3 3
40 6
2
17 17

Converting an entire fraction to a mixed fraction:

1) Determine how many times the denominator divides into the numerator (this becomes
the whole number)
2) The remainder becomes the numerator of the new fraction
3) The denominator remains the same

Examples: 7
=3
1 The denominator (2) divides into the numerator (7) three
2 2 times, with a remainder of one

32
=6
2 The denominator (5) divides into the numerator (32) six times,
5 5 with a remainder of two

Converting a mixed fraction to an entire fraction:

1) Multiply the whole number by the denominator and add the product to the numerator
2) The result becomes the new numerator and the denominator remains the same

Examples: 5
1 21
= The whole number (5) multiplied by the denominator (4)
4 4 equals 21. The denominator (4) remains the same

2 23 The whole number (3) multiplied by the denominator (7)

3 =
7 7 equals 22. The denominator (7) remains the same

Practice questions
on the next page

3
GRE Fractions Refresher

Practice: Convert each entire fraction to a mixed fraction Answers:

1
a) 9 = a) 2
4 4

19 4
b) = b) 3
5 5

35 1
c) = c) 17
2 2

40 5
d) = d) 5
7 7

68 2
e) = e) 6
11 11

59 5
f) = f) 9
6 6

Practice: Convert each mixed fraction to an entire fraction Answers:

1 13
a) 3 = a)
4 4

3 43
b) 8 = b)
5 5

4 22
c) 2 = c)
9 9

11 26
d) 1 = d)
15 15

9 69
e) 3 = e)
20 20

91
f) 30 1 = f)
3 3

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GRE Fractions Refresher

Adding and subtracting fractions

(1) Create equivalent fractions with the same denominator (a.k.a. common denominator)
(2) Add/subtract the numerators, and keep the denominator the same

Examples: 3 1
+
4 6
3 × 3 1× 2
= +
4×3 6×2
9 2
= + Å Create equivalent fractions with the same denominator (12)
12 12
11
= Å Add the numerators; keep the denominator the same
12

8 5
−
9 12
8× 4 5×3
= −
9 × 4 12 × 3
32 15
= −
36 36 Å Create equivalent fractions with the same denominator (36)
17
=
36 Å Subtract the numerators; keep the denominator the same

Practice: Answers:
3 1 11
a) + = a)
8 12 24

14 7 7
b) − = b)
15 10 30

7 3 1
c) − = c)
16 8 16

1 2 19
d) + = d)
8 3 24

1 5 2
e) 1 − = e)
2 6 3

5 9 26 11
f) + = f) or 1
6 10 15 15

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GRE Fractions Refresher

numerator Æ 2
Multiplying fractions
denominator Æ 5
• Multiply numerator by numerator, and denominator by denominator.

Examples:
2 5 10
× =
11 7 77
5 1 5
× =
6 7 42

• Whenever possible, “cross simplify” beforehand.

Cross simplifying
9 4 36 36 ÷ 12 3
Method 1: × = = =
16 15 240 240 ÷ 12 20

9 4 9÷3 4÷4 3 1 3
Cross simplify: × = × = × =
16 15 16 ÷ 4 15 ÷ 3 4 5 20

Practice: Find each product and write answer in simplest terms Answers:
3 7 7
a) × = a)
5 9 15

21 16 3
b) × = b)
32 35 10

7 9 3
c) × = c)
24 14 16

8 3 2
d) × = d)
15 4 5

11 4 1
e) × = e)
16 33 12

72 25 3
f) × = f)
125 96 20

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GRE Fractions Refresher

Dividing fractions
• Multiply by the reciprocal of the divisor.

Examples:

4 11
÷
9 20
4 20 11 20
= × Æ “flip” to become and multiply
9 11 20 11
80
=
99

3 5
÷
7 8
5 8
3 8
= × Æ “flip” to become and multiply
7 5 8 5
24
=
35

Practice: Find each quotient and write answer in simplest terms Answers:

2 3 8
a) ÷ = a)
7 4 21

5 1 25 1
b) ÷ = b) or 4
6 5 6 6

9 15 3
c) ÷ = c)
16 16 5

21 14 15
d) ÷ = d)
40 25 16

8 1 32 2
e) ÷ = e) or 10
15 20 3 3

27 1 3
f) ÷1 = f)
32 8 4