How to Solve Fractions

tutorbing

May 22, 2010

School

Fractions seem to be an easy concept and algorithm, but why do some college students still don't get it. A lot of books out there have been telling you how to do it but the words they are using aren't so helpful, they are often misleading.

The first thing to consider is knowing what fraction is.

Fraction is simply a part of a whole. Or in a more formal sense, Fraction is a ratio of two numbers.

This is how we write fraction: 1/2

It has three parts which are :

The Numerator: This is the one found at the top of the fractional bar.

The Denominator: This the number found below the fractional bar.

The Fractional Bar: This bar is the bar that divides the numerator and the denominator.

We also notice that that there are kinds of fractions, the proper, the improper and the mixed form.

Proper Fraction: a fraction whose denominator is greater than the numerator. 2/5

Improper Fraction:A fraction whose denominator is lesser than the numerator.

5/2

Mixed Fraction:A combu=ination of a whole number and a fraction.

1 +2/3

We also have different kinds of fractions when it comes to dealing with sets of fractions:

Similar Fractions:A set fractions having thesame denominator.

1/2, 2/2, 3/2, and 4/2

Dissimilar Fractions: A Set of fractions having different denominator.

2/1, 5/4, 3/2,and 1/6

Now let us talk about the operations involving our classifications of fractions.

1. Changing an improper fraction to a mixed form:

Example: 5/4.

The first thing to do is to divide the numerator 5 to its denominator 4. The quotient would be 1 having a remainder which is also 1. We set the quotient 1 as the whole number and the remainder 1 to be our new numerator and of course, copy the denominator 4. We now have a fixed fraction of the form 1 and 1/4.

2.Changing a mixed fraction into an improper fraction:

Example: 1 and 1/4

The first thing to do is to get the LCM or the least Common Multiple of 1 and 4 which is 4. therefore, 1 will become 4/4. You add 4/4 to 1/4, you will get 5/4.

But how will we add fractions?

3. Adding Similar Fractions

When we add fractions having thesame denominator, just simply add thier numerators then copy thier common denominator.

Example: 1/3+2/3.

The common denominator is 3.

We simply add the numerators 1 and 2 to get 3. So 3 now will become our new numerator, then copting the denominator, we will get 3/3 or simply equal to 1 because dividing 3 to 3 will give you a qoutient of 1.

Another Example: 2/25+5/25=7/25

4.Adding Dissimilar Fractions:

Example:2/5+3/2

We get the LCM of 5 and 2.

Multiples of 5: 5, 10, 15, ....

Multiples of 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, ...

The LCM of 5 and 2 is 10. Then cross multiply: we wil get 4/10 and 15/10. By adding we will get19/10.

5.Same rules to follow when subtarcting Fractions

6.Multiplying fractions:

When multiplying fractions, we do not have to examine the given fractions whether they are similar or dissimilar, we just have to mupltiply thier numerators directly and their denominators directly.

Example: 2/5 x 2/3. (2 x 2)/( 5 x 3)=4/15.

7.Dividing Fractions:

When dividing fractions, all you have to do is to get the reciprocal or the inverse of the divisor and proceed to multiplication.

Example: 2/5 divided dy 2/3.

The reciprocal of the denominator 2/3 is 3/2.

Multiply now 2/5 to the new fraction 3/2 and you will get 6/10 as a result.

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