Equations with Fractions Explanation & Practice

Explanation
An equation with one or more terms consisting of fractions is called a fractional
equation. To solve a fractional equation, first eliminate the fractions. All fractions can be
eliminated by multiplying both sides of the equation by the lowest common denominator
(LCD) of every term. With the fractions thus eliminated, the equation is then solved like
any nonfractional equation.
EXAMPLE: Solve for x
3x x
2

5
3 15

Solution: Multiplying by the LCD(15), we obtain

3x x
2
15
15

3
5
15

9x 5 x = 2
4x = 2
x =

1
2

Practice
Solve.
2x

1.

1 1

5 5

1
1 1
a
5
3 5

2.

1
3 1
y
4
2 8

3.

1
5 2 x 5
5

15

etc.

etc.

etc.

1
3 8
x
3
5 5

4.

1
1
1
a 15
3
5
5

5 1
1
z
8 4
2

5.

3
1
8
15 x 15
5
3
5

5 1
1
8 z 8
8 4
2

etc.

etc.

3
1
1
y 8
2
4
8

5 1
7
y 30
6 5
30

30

etc.

7.
-1-

5 1
7
y
6 5
30

6.

3x

2 1

7 7

Equations with fractions Explanation & Practice

1/31/11 MTL-fd

10.

13.

16.

19.

22.

25.

28.

8.

1
2 5
x
2
3 3

9.

2
5
x 1
3
3

11.

1
2 1
x
4
3 2

12.

1 1
2
y
6 2
3

14.

4 1
1
d
9 6
3

15.

1
1
5
x
6
4 12

17.

3
4
7
y
10
5 20

18.

5
3
1
x

11
22 2

20.

x x 1 3

4 5 2 10

21.

a 1
5 2

9 2 18 3

23.

3x 5 x 5 1

10 12 6 30

26.

9 y 3y
5 3

16
8
4 2

3
11
x 1
5
5

3 1
1
c
7 3
21

5 1
3
x
7 2
14

a a 2 1

6 5 3 2

y
7
5 1

10 15 6 5

13 x x 2 22

20 3 5 30

2a 7 a
1 7

18 72 18 9

24.
5y 3y
5
1

7
14 42 21

27.

4
5 5
a2
9
6 9

29.
9 3y
5
2

14
7
42 21

-2-

Equations with fractions Explanation & Practice

1/31/11 MTL-fd

Answer Key
Equations with Fractions Explanation & Practice

1.

x=

1
5
8
3

2.

a=

3.

13
y=
2

4.

x=3

5.

1
z=
2

6.

y=3

7.

x=

8.

x=2

9.

x=1

10.

x=2

11.

x=

12.

y=1

13.

c =

8
7

14.

d=

2
3

15.

1
7

14
3

16.

x=1

17.

y=

23
6

18.

x=

7
5

19.

a = 35

20.

x = 16

21.

a = 13

22.

y = 15

23.

x=

48
43

24.

y=

7
39

25.

x=

20
19

26.

y=

4
3

27.

a=

41
8

28.

a=4

29.

y=1

x=4

-3-

Equations with fractions Explanation & Practice

1/31/11 MTL-fd