3.

FRACTIONS

Definitions Page 12

Simplification of Fractions 12

Comparing Fractions 12

Lowest Common Denominator 13

The Addition of Fractions 13

The Subtraction of Fractions 14

The Multiplication of Fractions 14

The Division of Fractions 14

Reciprocal 14

Exercises 15

Numerator
3
A fraction is a part of the whole, e.g. — represents 3 parts out of the whole 8.
8

Denominato
r

• DEFINITIONS
Proper fraction a fraction in which the numerator is smaller than the denominator

3
e.g. —
7

Improper fraction a fraction in which the numerator is larger than the

denominator

11
e.g. —
8

Mixed fraction a number consisting of a integer and a proper fraction

(or number)
e.g. 5⅞

• SIMPLIFICATION OF FRACTIONS
A fractions is usually shown in its simplest form.

30 2x3x5 5
e.g. — = ———— = —
42 2x3x7 7

As can be seen above, the factors common to both the numerator and denominator are eliminated.

• COMPARING FRACTIONS
In order to compare fractions, we need to make their denominators the same.

i.e. to create equivalent fractions.

2 4 Note: Multiplying (or dividing) the numerator and denominator by

e.g. Is — > — ? the same number leaves the fraction unchanged (but not in its
simplest form) 2x 5 10 2
3 5
.e. – – = — which is the same as ―
3x 5 15 3

10 12 10 12 2 4
= — >— ? We can now compare — and —  — <—
15 15 15 15 3 5

15 is the LCD (lowest common denominator) of 3 & 5, i.e. it

is the smallest number divisible by 3 & 5.
 • LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR
The LCM is also called the LCD (Lowest common multiple)
To calculate the LCM, determine the lowest common multiple. In the example above:
❑ The multiples of 3 are 3; 6; 9; 12; 15; 18; 21; etc
❑ The multiples of 5 are 5; 10; 15; 20; 25; 30; etc
The LCM of 3 and 5 is therefore 15

Note: It is not really necessary to convert the two fractions to the Lowest Common Denominator. Any
common denominator will do.
7 11
e.g. Is — < — ?
8 12

84 88 84 88 7 11
i.e Is — < — ? We can now compare — and —  — < —
96 96 96 96 8 12

• ADDITION OF FRACTIONS
As in comparing fractions, to add fractions we convert the fractions tohave the same denominator.
Then add the numerators and simplify, if possible.

7 3 7 9 16 4 1
e.g. ― + ― = ― + ― = — = 1— = 1–
12 4 12 12 12 12 3

12 is
the
LCM
7 3 28 36 64 16 1
or ―+― = ― + ― = — = 1— = 1–
12 4 48 48 48 48 3

48 is
not the
LCM
Note: When adding mixed numbers, convert to improper fractions and add as usual

• SUBTRACTION OF FRACTIONS
We use the process as in adding fractions, except that we subtract the numerators and simplify, if
possible.

7 3 7 6 1
e.g. ― – ― = ― – ― = —
8 4 8 8 8

8 is
the
LCM
 7 3 28 24 4 1
or ―–― = ― – ― = — = —
8 4 32 32 32 8

32 is not
the LCM

Note: When subtracting mixed numbers, convert to improper fractions and subtract as usual

• MULTIPLICATION OF FRACTIONS
Multiply the numerators; multiply the denominators and simplify, if possible.

3 5 15
e.g. ― x ― = — (no further simplification is possible)
4 7 28

Note: When multiplying mixed numbers, convert to improper fractions and multiply as usual

• DIVISION OF FRACTIONS
Invert the fraction following the ÷ sign and multiply, as above.

3 5 3 7 21 1
e.g. ― ÷ ― = ―x ― = — = 1 —
4 7 4 5 20 20

Note: When dividing mixed numbers, convert to improper fractions and divide as usual

• RECIPROCAL
The reciprocal of a number is that number divided into one.

e.g. the reciprocal of 25 is 1/25

and the reciprocal of 1/7 is 7/1 = 7

• EXERCISES
Question 1: 7
Which fraction is greater than — ?
11

1 3 5 7 9
— — — — —
11 11 11 11 11

Question 2:
3
Which fraction is greater than — ?
4

1 1 3 5 7
— — — — —
2 4 8 8 8
Question 3:
5
Which fraction is less than — ?
7

3 7 9 16 28
— — — — —
4 5 14 21 35

Question 4:

1 2
—+— =?
7 9

Question 5:

3 3
—–—= ?
5 9

Question 6:
8
What is the reciprocal of — ?
25

Question 7:

1 3
—x—= ?
3 9

Question 8:

18 25
—x—= ?
64 36

Question 9:

2 3
—+—= ?
7 4

Question 10:

15 25
——= ?
60 36

Question 11:

7 1
2— 1—= ?
8 4

Question 12:

1 2
1—x 2—= ?
4 3
Question 13: Replace the * with = , > or < :

2 3
a) — * — —————
7 11

1 1
b) — * — —————
8 6

4 16
c) — * — —————
9 36

2 1
d) — * — —————
11 6

Question 14:

Arrange in ascending order:

1 1 4 2 5
— ; — ; — ; — ; —
4 3 5 3 8
Question 15:

What fraction is: (Units of measure you might need are shown below)

a) 9 months of 1 year? —————

b) 13 weeks of 1 year? —————

c) 50 metres of 2 Kilometres? —————

d) 125 Kg of 1 Tonne? —————

e) 25 years to a century? —————

Units of Measure:
10mm = 1 cm 1000mg = 1 g 1 year = 52 weeks
100cm = 1 m 1000g = 1Kg
1000m = 1 Km 1000Kg = 1 Tonne

Question 16:

A B C D
1 1 1 3 The numbers in column D are linked in some way to the numbers in A, B and C.
1 2 1 4 What should go where the “?” is?
2 2 3 7
3 1 2 “?”

Question 17:

    8 Each symbol is worth a number. The total at the end of each

    20 row adds up to the value of the symbols in the row. What
    4 number should go where the “?” is?
“?”

QUESTION 18:

How many squares can you find in this diagram?

QUESTION 19:

1 2 1 0 When all the boxes are filled in, the lines should add up to 5 in all directions,
including corner to corner. What should go where the “?” is?
1 1 1 1
0 1 “?” 2
1 0 1 1

QUESTION 20: Joe bought 1Kg bag of marbles in which 3/8 were orange, 1/3 were red, 1/8 were green
and the rest were yellow. What fraction of the marbles were yellow?

QUESTION 21: Five friends decided to hire a tent for a party. The cost for the weekend was Rx.
They agreed to share this cost equally among themselves. Unfortunately, one of them falls ill and
withdraws from the agreement. By how many Rands does the cost to each of the other friends
increase?
QUESTION 22: In a certain business, 1/4 of the employees earn less than R120 000 per annum. If 2/3
of the remaining employees earn between R 120 000 and R180 000 per annum, what fraction of the
employees earn over R180 000 per annum?

QUESTION 23: After traveling 560 Km, Bongani had completed 5/8 of his journey. How far does he
still have to travel to complete the journey?

QUESTION 24: A student budgets 1/3 of her monthly allowance for rent, 1/4 for food and 1/8 for
clothing. If, after providing for these items, she has R350 left, what is her total monthly allowance?