In mathematics, a fraction is a number that represents a part of a whole.

It consists of a
numerator and a denominator. The numerator represents the number of equal parts of a
whole, while the denominator is the total number of parts that make up said whole. For
example, in the fraction of
3
8
, the numerator is 3, and the denominator is 8. A more illustrative example could involve
a pie with 8 slices. 1 of those 8 slices would constitute the numerator of a fraction, while
the total of 8 slices that comprises the whole pie would be the denominator. If a person
were to eat 3 slices, the remaining fraction of the pie would therefore be
5
8
as shown in the image to the right. Note that the denominator of a fraction cannot be 0,
as it would make the fraction undefined. Fractions can undergo many different
operations, some of which are mentioned below.

Addition:
Unlike adding and subtracting integers such as 2 and 8, fractions require a common
denominator to undergo these operations. One method for finding a common
denominator involves multiplying the numerators and denominators of all of the fractions
involved by the product of the denominators of each fraction. Multiplying all of the
denominators ensures that the new denominator is certain to be a multiple of each
individual denominator. The numerators also need to be multiplied by the appropriate
factors to preserve the value of the fraction as a whole. This is arguably the simplest
way to ensure that the fractions have a common denominator. However, in most cases,
the solutions to these equations will not appear in simplified form (the provided
calculator computes the simplification automatically). Below is an example using this
method.
a c a×d c×b ad + bc
+ = + =
b d b×d d×b bd
3 1 3×6 1×4 22 11
EX: + = + = =
4 6 4×6 6×4 24 12
This process can be used for any number of fractions. Just multiply the numerators and
denominators of each fraction in the problem by the product of the denominators of all
the other fractions (not including its own respective denominator) in the problem.
1 1 1 1×6×2 1×4×2 1×4×6
EX: + + = + +
4 6 2 4×6×2 6×4×2 2×4×6
12 8 24 44 11
= + + = =
48 48 48 48 12
An alternative method for finding a common denominator is to determine the least
common multiple (LCM) for the denominators, then add or subtract the numerators as
one would an integer. Using the least common multiple can be more efficient and is
more likely to result in a fraction in simplified form. In the example above, the
denominators were 4, 6, and 2. The least common multiple is the first shared multiple of
these three numbers.
Multiples of 2: 2, 4, 6, 8 10, 12
Multiples of 4: 4, 8, 12
Multiples of 6: 6, 12
The first multiple they all share is 12, so this is the least common multiple. To complete
an addition (or subtraction) problem, multiply the numerators and denominators of each
fraction in the problem by whatever value will make the denominators 12, then add the
numerators.
1 1 1 1×3 1×2 1×6
EX: + + = + +
4 6 2 4×3 6×2 2×6
3 2 6 11
= + + =
12 12 12 12

Subtraction:
Fraction subtraction is essentially the same as fraction addition. A common denominator
is required for the operation to occur. Refer to the addition section as well as the
equations below for clarification.
a c a×d c×b ad – bc
– = – =
b d b×d d×b bd
3 1 3×6 1×4 14 7
EX: – = – = =
4 6 4×6 6×4 24 12

Multiplication:
Multiplying fractions is fairly straightforward. Unlike adding and subtracting, it is not
necessary to compute a common denominator in order to multiply fractions. Simply, the
numerators and denominators of each fraction are multiplied, and the result forms a
new numerator and denominator. If possible, the solution should be simplified. Refer to
the equations below for clarification.
a c ac
× =
b d bd
3 1 3 1
EX: × = =
4 6 24 8

Division:
The process for dividing fractions is similar to that for multiplying fractions. In order to
divide fractions, the fraction in the numerator is multiplied by the reciprocal of the
fraction in the denominator. The reciprocal of a number a is simply
1
a
. When a is a fraction, this essentially involves exchanging the position of the
numerator and the denominator. The reciprocal of the fraction
3
4
would therefore be
4
3
. Refer to the equations below for clarification.
ad
a c a d
/ = × = -_
b d b c
bc
3 1 3 6 18 9
EX: / = × = =
4 6 4 1 4 2

Simplification:It is often easier to work with simplified fractions. As such, fraction

220
440
for example, is more cumbersome than
1
2
. The calculator provided returns fraction inputs in both improper fraction form as well as
mixed number form. In both cases, fractions are presented in their lowest forms by
dividing both numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor.