Fractions Refresher

GRE
Equivalent Fractions

Equivalent fractions can be created by multiplying/dividing the numerator and denominator by the
same number.
Examples:
1
2
1 3 Multiply by 3
2 3 Multiply by 3
3
1 3
=
=
6
2 6
=

Practice: Fill in the blank

3
7
3 5 Multiply by 5
7 5 Multiply by 5
15
3 15
=
=
35
7 35
=

Answers:

a)

1
=
2 12

a)

1 6
6
=
2 6 12

b)

2
=
3 24

b)

2 8 16
=
3 8 24

c)

4 16
=
9

c)

4 4 16
=
9 4 36

d)

3
=
5 60

d)

3 12 36
=
5 12 60

e)

1 7
=
4

e)

1 7
7
=
4 7 28

f)

5
=
6 42

f)

5 7 35
=
6 7 42

g)

7 49
=
8

g)

7 7 49
=
8 7 56

h)

2
=
9 108

2 12 24
h) 9 12 = 108

i)

7
=
15 135

j) 1 =
5 245

i)

79
63
=
15 9 135

j)

1 49
49
=
5 49 245

Fractions Refresher

GRE

numerator

Simplifying Fractions

denominator

2
5

To simplify a fraction, divide the numerator and denominator by the same

number until the numerator and denominator can be simplified no further.
Examples:

Divide by 8
Divide by 8

40
56
40 8
=
56 8
5
=
7

Cannot be
simplified further

Practice: Simplify each fraction

42
54
42 2 Divide by 2
=
54 2 Divide by 2
21
=
Can be simplified further
27
21 3 Divide by 3
=
27 3 Divide by 3
7
=
Cannot be simplified further
9

Answers:

a)

15
=
20

a) 15 5 = 3
20 5 4

b)

18
=
27

b)

18 9 2
=
27 9 3

c)

40
=
48

c)

40 8 5
=
48 8 6

d)

7
=
13

d)

7
13

e)

60
=
150

e)

60 30 2
=
150 30 5

f)

39
=
52

f)

39 13 3
=
52 13 4

g)

135
=
215

g)

135 5 27
=
215 5 43

h)

121
=
154

h)

121 11 11
=
154 11 14

i)

72
=
108

i)

72 36 2
=
108 36 3

(already simplified)

Fractions Refresher

GRE
Converting Fractions

Lets look at converting entire fractions to mixed fractions and converting mixed fractions
to entire fractions
Entire fractions

Mixed fractions

7
2
20
3
40
17

1
2
2
6
3
6
2
17
3

Converting an entire fraction to a mixed fraction:

1) Determine how many times the denominator divides into the numerator (this becomes
the whole number)
2) The remainder becomes the numerator of the new fraction
3) The denominator remains the same
7
1
=3
2
2

The denominator (2) divides into the numerator (7) three

times, with a remainder of one

32
2
=6
5
5

The denominator (5) divides into the numerator (32) six times,
with a remainder of two

Examples:

Converting a mixed fraction to an entire fraction:

1) Multiply the whole number by the denominator and add the product to the numerator
2) The result becomes the new numerator and the denominator remains the same

Examples:

1 21
=
4 4

The whole number (5) multiplied by the denominator (4)

equals 21. The denominator (4) remains the same

2 23
=
7 7

The whole number (3) multiplied by the denominator (7)

equals 22. The denominator (7) remains the same

Practice questions
on the next page
3

Fractions Refresher

GRE

Practice: Convert each entire fraction to a mixed fraction

Answers:

a) 9 =
4

a) 2

1
4

b)

19
=
5

b) 3

4
5

c)

35
=
2

c) 17

d)

40
=
7

d) 5

5
7

e)

68
=
11

e) 6

2
11

f)

59
=
6

f)

5
6

Practice: Convert each mixed fraction to an entire fraction

1
2

Answers:

a) 3

1
=
4

a)

13
4

b) 8

3
=
5

b)

43
5

c) 2

4
=
9

c)

22
9

d) 1

11
=
15

d)

26
15

e) 3

9
=
20

e)

69
20

f) 30 1 =
3

f)

91
3

Fractions Refresher

GRE
Adding and subtracting fractions

(1) Create equivalent fractions with the same denominator (a.k.a. common denominator)
(2) Add/subtract the numerators, and keep the denominator the same
Examples:

3 1
+
4 6
3 3 1 2
=
+
43 62
9
2
=
+
Create equivalent fractions with the same denominator (12)
12 12
11
=
Add the numerators; keep the denominator the same
12

8 5

9 12
8 4 53
=

9 4 12 3
32 15
=

Create equivalent fractions with the same denominator (36)

36 36
17
=
Subtract the numerators; keep the denominator the same
36

Practice:

Answers:

a)

3 1
+
=
8 12

a)

11
24

b)

14 7

=
15 10

b)

7
30

c)

7 3
=
16 8

c)

1
16

d)

1 2
+ =
8 3

d)

19
24

e)

1 5
1 =
2 6

e)

2
3

f)

5 9
+
=
6 10

f)

26
15

or 1

11
15

Fractions Refresher

GRE

numerator

Multiplying fractions
Multiply numerator by numerator, and denominator by denominator.

denominator

2
5

Examples:
2 5 10
=
11 7 77
5 1 5
=
6 7 42

Whenever possible, cross simplify beforehand.

Cross simplifying
9
4
36
36 12
3

=
=
=
Method 1:
16 15 240 240 12 20
Cross simplify:

9
4
93
44 3 1 3

= =
16 15 16 4 15 3 4 5 20

Practice: Find each product and write answer in simplest terms

Answers:

a)

3 7
=
5 9

a)

7
15

b)

21 16

=
32 35

b)

3
10

c)

7
9

=
24 14

c)

3
16

d)

8 3
=
15 4

d)

2
5

e)

11 4

=
16 33

e)

1
12

f)

72 25

=
125 96

f)

3
20

Fractions Refresher

GRE
Dividing fractions
Multiply by the reciprocal of the divisor.
Examples:
4 11

9 20
4 20
=
9 11
80
=
99

3 5

7 8
3 8
=
7 5
24
=
35

flip

11
20
to become
and multiply
20
11

flip

5
8

to become

8
and multiply
5

Practice: Find each quotient and write answer in simplest terms

Answers:

a)

2 3
=
7 4

a)

8
21

b)

5 1
=
6 5

b)

25
6

c)

9 15

=
16 16

c)

3
5

d)

21 14

=
40 25

d)

15
16

e)

8
1

=
15 20

e)

32
3

f)

27
1
1 =
32
8

f)

3
4

or 4

1
6

or 10

2
3