Fractions

■ A fraction is made up of a numerator (up) and a denominator (down).

The denominator tells you how many parts the whole is divided up into.

– The numerator tells you how many parts we are talking about.

– The horizontal line separating the numerator and the denominator is called the vinculum.

■ A proper fraction is less than a whole (the numerator must be smaller than the denominator).

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For example: is a proper fraction.
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■ An improper fraction is greater than a whole (the numerator must be larger than the denominator). For
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example: is an improper fraction.
3

4 3 8
■ Whole numbers can be represented as fractions. For example: 1 = ,1= ,2=
4 3 4

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■ Mixed numbers have a whole number and a fraction. For example: 1 is a mixed number.
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■ We can represent fractions on a number line. This number line shows the whole numbers 0, 1 and 2. Each
unit has then been divided equally into four segments, therefore creating ‘quarters’.

Do the following exercise:

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1 a State the denominator of this proper fraction:
9

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b State the numerator of this improper fraction:
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2 Group the following list of fractions into proper fractions, improper fractions and whole numbers.
3 Copy and complete the following table.

4. What fractions are shown on these number lines?

5.
Fraction Location on a Number line
Equivalent fractions are fractions that mark the same place on a number line.
1 2
For example: and are equivalent fractions.
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■ Equivalent fractions are produced by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the same number.

■ Equivalent fractions can also be produced by dividing the numerator and denominator by the same
number.

1. Copy and complete the following.

10
3 ∧11
2. Write four equivalent fractions for by multiplying by 3 5 10
4 , ,
3 5 11

3 Fill in the missing numbers to complete the following strings of equivalent fractions.

Simplifying fractions

 To simplify a fraction, divide both the numerator and denominator by the highest
common factor or HCF.
 To simplify a mixed numeral, leave the whole number and simplify the fraction.

Q1. Write the following fractions in simplest form.

Q2. Simplify.

Q3. Kylie’s netball team scored 28 goals. Kylie scored 21 of her team’s goals. What fraction
of the team’s goals did Kylie score? Simplify the answer.

Q4. Below are the results of a pie-eating competition.

Mark- 5 pies
David -10 pies
Samantha -8 pies
Jules- 6 pies
Ahmed- 4 pies
Darren -7 pies
a) How many pies were eaten in total?

b) For each, find number of pies eaten as a fraction of the total number of pies eaten. Where
possible, reduce the fractions to their simplest forms.

Mixed Number and Improper fractions

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Example 1: a Show 1 4 on a number line.
b Between which two whole numbers does it lie?

Solution: a)

Draw a number line starting at zero and going up by quarters.

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b) 1 lies between 1 and 2.ple 5
4

Do the following exercise:

Ordering fractions
Remember that > means is greater than and < means is less than.

To order (or arrange) fractions we must know how to compare different fractions.

1. If the numerators are the same, the smallest fraction is the one with the biggest denominator, as the whole
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has been divided up into the most pieces. For example: <
7 2

2. If the denominators are the same, the smallest fraction is the one with the
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smallest numerator. For example: <
10 10

3. Otherwise, use equivalent fractions to make fractions with the same denominator. (The lowest common
denominator (LCD) is best.) Then compare numerators as above.
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Example: Which is larger, or ?
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 Adding and subtracting fractions

Fractions can be added and subtracted if they have the same denominator.

Q1. Find the following, expressing the answers in simplest form

Addition with different denominator

If fractions do not have the same denominator, use equivalent fractions to make the
denominators the same.
Q2. Find the following, expressing the answers in simplest form.

Q3. Using the lowest common multiples, add or subtract these fractions.

Mixed numerals can be added or subtracted by first changing them to improper fractions.

Q4. Find the following

Q5. Find the following

Q6. Angela was a little hungry the day before her birthday, and spied the cake to be eaten the
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following day. She decided that if she ate only 10 of it, her Mum might not notice.
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However, she was still hungry and took another 6 .

a) How much of the cake did Angela eat before her birthday?
b) How much of the cake was left for her birthday?

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Q7. A cake needed to be cooked at 200°C for 4 hour then a further 2 hour at 150°C. What is
the total cooking time in hours?
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Q8. One-third of a litre of cordial is mixed with 1 2 litres of water. How many litres of drink
have been made?

Q9. At a school dance-a-thon, the number of hours each student danced was recorded.
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Matthew 1 4 hours, Leigh 2 3 hours, Daniel 1 6 hours

How many hours did the boys dance in total?

Q10. The lengths of bolts and nails are often measured in inches. For the bolt shown, find
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the length of the threaded section if the total length of the bolt is 3 4 inches.

Q11. To find the number in each square, add the fractions in the two circles that are joined to it.
 Multiplication of Fractions
■ Fractions do not need to have the same denominator to be multiplied together.

■ To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators together and multiply the denominators together.

■ If possible, ‘simplify’, ‘divide’ or ‘cancel’ fractions before multiplying. (Remember, you can only cancel
tops with bottoms.)

■ Mixed numbers must be changed to improper fractions before multiplying.

■ Final answers should be written in simplest form.

1. Multiply the following fractions.

2. Work out the answers to the following as basic fractions.

3. Simplify the following.

4. Work out the answers to the following.

5. Find:

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6. At one secondary college, of the Year 7 students are boys.
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a What fraction of the Year 7 students are girls?

b If there are 120 Year 7 students, how many boys and girls are there?

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7. Julie was injured during the netball season. She was able to play only of the matches. The season
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consisted of 21 matches. How many games did Julie miss as a result of injury?
 Division of Fraction

1.What is the reciprocal of each of the following?

2. First change each of the following to an improper fraction, then find its reciprocal.
3.Divide the following fractions.

4. Work out the answers to the following as basic fractions.

5. Evaluate the following.

6. A car’s petrol tank holds 48 litres of fuel.

a) If the tank was full at the start of a trip, what fraction

 of the tank has been used?

b) How many litres of petrol have been used?

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7. Jamie’s Mum made 6 litres of punch for his birthday party. Emily drank of the punch, Tracy drank
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and Jonathan drank . How much punch, in litres, did each person drink?
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8. Zoe and Sarah play basketball with the Sharp Shooters. The games are played for 40 minutes. Zoe
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played of last week’s game and Sarah played . How many minutes of the game did:
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a) Zoe play?
b) Sarah play?

9. Gustave’s monthly take-home pay is $2400. From this he spends a quarter on his home loan payments,
one half on food and drink and one sixth on clothing. One half of the remainder goes into his savings
account. How much money does Gustave put into his savings account each month?

10. a) Draw a quarter of a pie.

b) Shade half of this piece of pie.
c) What fraction of the whole pie is shaded?
1 1 ❑
d) Complete the mathematical sentence × = ❑ to show how the answer was found.
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QUANTITIES AS FRACTION OF OTHERS