Fractions

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Equivalent Fractions

Equivalent fractions are fractions that name the same amount. To find equivalent
fractions, multiply or divide the numerator and denominator by the same non-zero
number.
For example:
Numerator and denominator multiplying by a factor of 2 and dividing by a factor of 6

18 18  2 18 18  6
 
24 24 2 24 24  6
36 3
 
48 4
18 36 3
Equivalent fractions   
24 48 4

Improper Fractions and Mixed Fractions

Improper Fraction:
In an improper fraction, the numerator is greater than the denominator.
Example:

71
5

Mixed fraction:
A mixed fraction has a whole number part and a fraction part.
Example:

4
1
9

Convert Improper fraction to mixed fraction, simply dividing:

71
= 71 5
5
1
= 14
5

Convert mixed fraction to improper fraction, can be done by multiplying and adding.

4 1 9  9 13
1  
9 9  4  13 9

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Fractions
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Adding Fractions

Remember: Denominators must be the same before adding.

2 1 2( 4) 1(5)
  
5 4 5 (4) 4 (5)
1. Find the lowest common multiple of denominators.
2. Multiply numerator and denominator of each
8 5
  fraction by a factor to make the common multiple.
20 20
3. Add numerators.
4. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where
13
 necessary.
20

Adding Mixed fractions

9 3 9 3
12  2  12  2  
10 4 10 4

9 3
 14   1. Add whole numbers.
10 4 2. Find the lowest common multiple of
denominators.
9 (2) 3 (5) 3. Multiply numerator and denominator of each
 14  
10 (2) 4 (5) fraction by a factor to make the common
multiple.
18 15 4. Add numerator.
 14   5. Write improper fraction as mixed fractions
20 20
and add to the whole numbers.
33 6. Reduce to the answer to its lowest terms
 14  where necessary.
20

13
 14  1
20

13
 15
20

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Fractions
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Subtracting Fractions

Remember: Denominators must be the same before subtracting.

8 1 8(  2) 2 (5)
   1. Find the lowest common multiple of denominators.
10 4 10 (2) 4 (5)
2. Multiply numerator and denominator of each
16 10
  fraction by a factor to make the common multiple.
20 20
3. Subtract numerators.
16 (4) 4. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where

20 (4) necessary.
4

5

Subtracting Mixed Fractions

2 2 2 2
41  20  41  20    
8 3 8 3

 2 (3) 2 (8) 
 21    
 8 (3) 3 (8) 
 

6 16
 21   1. Subtract whole numbers.
24 24
2. Find the lowest common multiple of
denominators.
6 16
 20  1   3. Multiply numerator and denominator of each
24 24 fraction by a factor to make the common multiple.
4. Borrow a whole number by re-writing the whole
24 6 16
 20    number into a fraction with the same
24 24 24 denominator.
5. Subtract numerators.
30 16 6. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where
 20  
24 24 necessary.
14
 20 
24

14 ( 2)
 20 
24 ( 2)

7
 20 
12

7
 20
12

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Fractions
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Multiplying Fractions

Remember: Simplified the fractions before multiplying

6 10 6 6 10 2
  
12 24 12  6 24  2
1. Cancel if possible by dividing numerator and
denominators by the greatest common factor.
1 5 2. Check whether if you could also do cancellation
 
2 12 “diagonally”.
3. Multiply numerators and denominators
5 respectively.

24 4. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where
necessary.

20 7 20 10 7
  
21 10 21 10 10

2 7 7 1. Cancel “diagonally” by dividing numerator and

 
21 7 1 opposite denominators by the greatest common
factor.
2 1 2. Multiply numerators and denominators
 
3 1 respectively.
3. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where
2 necessary.

3

Multiplying Fractions and Whole Numbers

2 15 2
15   
5 1 5
15 5 2
  1. Re-write whole number as a fraction
1 5 5
(denominator = 1)
3 2 2. Do cancellation where possible.
 
1 1 3. Multiply numerator and denominators
respectively.
6 4. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where

1 necessary.

6

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Fractions
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Multiplying Mixed Fractions

1 1 16 17
5 2  
3 8 3 8
16 8 17
  1. Change mixed fractions to improper fractions.
3 8 8
2. Do cancellation if possible.
3. Multiply numerators and denominators
2 17 respectively.
 
3 1 4. Change the improper fraction into mixed fraction.

34

3

1
 11
3

Dividing Fractions

2 7 2 9
  
3 9 3 7

2 9 3
1. Change the question to multiplication by taking
  the reciprocal of the second fraction (ie flip).
3 3 7
2. Do cancellation if possible.
3. Multiply numerator and denominator
2 3
  respectively.
1 7
4. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where
necessary.
6

7

Dividing Mixed Fractions

3 1 19 101
4  25  
4 4 4 4
19 4
 
4 101
1. Change mixed fractions to improper fractions
2. Change the question to multiplication by taking
19 4 4
  reciprocal of the second fraction.
4  4 101
3. Do cancellation if possible.
4. Multiply numerator and denominator respectively.
19 1
  5. Reduce the answer to its lowest term where
1 101 necessary.
19

101

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Fractions
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Summary

Addition/Subtraction: Make sure denominators are the same before doing the sum.

Multiplication/Division: Cancel the fractions where possible before doing the sum.

Always give your answer as whole number, reduced-proper fraction or mixed

fraction. Improper fraction is not acceptable.

Revision Exercise

Equivalent fraction

Fill in the missing numerators or denominators.

2 3 1 6 12
1)  2)  3) 
3 6 21 18

4 2 6 1 1 3
4)  5)  6) 
10 12 33

Mixed Fractions and Improper Fractions

Write fractions as mixed fractions.

81 29 64 57 31
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
4 12 10 7 9

Write fractions as improper fractions.

4 3 2 11 4
1) 5 2) 9 3) 3 4) 4 5) 30
7 8 5 12 5

Fractions Operations

7 7 4 2 7 1 7 3 1 2
1)  2)  3)  4) 3 1 5) 6
10 15 5 3 8 4 16 8 20 5

1 3 5 5 3 1 5 1 1 6 2 3 1 1
6)   7)   8) 1   9)   10)  
3 4 6 8 4 8 6 3 2 7 7 5 4 7

7 1 5 3 13 6 7 9 2 5
11)  12)  13)  14) 12 6 15) 11 7
12 3 8 6 14 7 12 12 3 9

1 4 1 2 1 4 5 4 2
16)  17)  18)  36 19) 1  20) 
3 5 2 3 6 30 6 8 3

3 4 8 2 4 2 1 2 3 1
21)  22)  23) 3 1 24) 2 2 25) 9 5
21 7 11 5 9 4 3 15 7 2

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