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Eso1-05 Lesson 04 Fractions PDF
Eso1-05 Lesson 04 Fractions PDF
Fractions
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Table of contents
1.Fractions..................................................................................................................................................1 2.Properandimproperfractions.Mixednumbers......................................................................................2 3.Equivalentfractions.................................................................................................................................3 3.1.Buildingequivalentfractions.................................................................................................................. 4 3.2.Irreduciblefractions............................................................................................................................... 4 4.Reductionoffractionstoacommondenominator...................................................................................5 4.1.Reductiontotheproductofthedenominators.......................................................................................5 4.2.Reductiontotheleastcommonmultiple................................................................................................ 5 5.Operationswithfractions.........................................................................................................................6 5.1.Additionandsubtractionoffractions..................................................................................................... 6 5.2.Multiplicationoffractions...................................................................................................................... 6 5.3.Divisionoffractions............................................................................................................................... 7
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1. Fractions
A fraction represents the result of dividing a whole in a specified number of equal parts and taking a specified number of those equal parts. Example:
3 4
3 represents the result of dividing a whole in 4 equal parts and taking three of those parts. 4
There are different ways in which a fraction can be seen.
dividing the pizza in 4 equal parts and taking 3 of those parts. The whole pizza would be
3 of a pizza 4
1 (one unit).
3 of the pizza weigh 3120g =360g 4 3 of 480= 480 43 =360 In short: 4 4803 4
480g 4 =120 g . This 1 corresponds to . 4 1 Thus, of 480 is 120 . 4 1 3 represents three times which is 4 4 3120 g =360 multiply by 3 and divide by 4 3 of 480= =360 or 4 divide by 4 and multiply by 3 3 Thus, of 480g is 360g . 4
Fraction as a division: A fraction can be seen as a division that is left undone. But we can actually make the division.
3 = 3 4= 0.75 4
3 = 3 4= 0.75 4
3 = 3 4= 0.75=0.75100 % =75 % 4
3 1 4
3 is a proper fraction. 4
The numerator is smaller than the denominator. It is less than one unit
4 =1 4
4 is an improper fraction. 4
The numerator is equal to the denominator. It is equal to one unit
5 is an improper fraction. 4
5 1 4
The numerator is bigger than the denominator. It is bigger than one unit.
An improper fraction can be represented as a mixed number, consisting of a natural number and a proper fraction.
5 is an improper fraction. 4
It is equal to one unit plus This is represented as
1 . 4
1 as a mixed number. 4
11 is an improper fraction. 4 3 It is equal to two units plus . 4 3 This is represented as 2 as a mixed number. 4
How do we obtain the mixed number equivalent to a given improper fraction? For instance:
17 2 5 3
17 . 5
17 __ 5
2 = 3 __ 5
17 2
5 3
Denominator: Denominator of the original fraction. Integer part: Quotient of the division. Numerator: Remainder of the division.
3. Equivalent fractions
Two fractions are equivalent if their cross products are the same.
1 3 and equivalent? Their cross products are 16 =6 and 23=6 . The cross products 2 6 1 3 are the same. Thus, and are equivalent. 2 6
Are
1 __ 2
3 __ 6
2 5 and equivalent? Their cross products are 26= 12 and 35 =15 . The cross 3 6 2 5 products are different. Thus, and are not equivalent. 3 6
Are
2 __ 3
5 __ 6
1 12 2 = = 2 22 4
We can multiply numerator and denominator by by other numbers to obtain more fractions equivalent to
1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 . = = = = = = = =... 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
2. Simplifying the fraction. A fraction is simplified by dividing numerator and denominator by a common divisor. Let's try to find equivalent fractions to
12 . The common divisors of 12 and 18 are: 2 , 3 18 12 12 2 6 12 3 4 12 6 2 and 6 . Thus, equivalent fractions to are = , = and = . In 18 182 9 183 6 186 3 12 6 4 2 other words: = = = . 18 9 6 3
common divisors other than 1. 2. Divide both numerator and denominator by their gcd (greatest common divisor). For instance:
12 . 12= 223 , 18= 23 2 . gcd 12,18 =23=6. The irreducible fraction 18 12 12 6 2 equivalent to is = . 18 186 3
2 1 6 , and . 5 5 5
1 2 6 5 5 5
We can sum and subtract them and the result is another fraction with the same denominator:
1 2 1 2 3 1 2 6 1 2 6 9 6 2 6 2 4 6 1 2 6 1 2 7 = = , = = , = = , = = 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
If two fractions have not the same denominator, we cannot directly sum, subtract or compare them:
2 4 =? 3 5
Which is larger,
2 4 or ? 3 5
We first have to reduce them to common denominator. This consists in obtaining two equivalent fractions with the same denominator. There are two ways of reducing two fractions to common denominator.
Example: reduce
The common denominator is the least common multiple. The new denominator is the old numerator multiplied by the result of dividing the least common multiple by the old denominator.
Example: reduce
5 5 12 6 10 = = 6 12 12
In general, it is better to reduce to the least common multiple, because we obtain simpler fractions
5 1 . For example: 5= . 1
The denominator of the result is the same. The numerator is the addition or subtraction of the numerators.
3 2 32 5 = = 7 7 7 7
3 2 32 1 = = 7 7 7 7
If the fractions have different denominators, we first reduce them to common denominator and then add or subtract them.
8 3 16 9 7 = = 15 10 30 30 30
8 8 3015 82 16 3 3 30 10 33 9 = = = , = = = 15 30 30 30 10 30 30 30
1 2 12 2 = = 3 5 35 15
The division of two fractions is the product of the first and the inverse of the second.
a c a d ad = = b d b c bc
Example:
The numerator is the product of the numerators. The denominator is the product of the denominators.
1 2 1 5 15 5 = = = 3 5 3 2 32 6
Glossary
Fill in the blanks to complete the glossary English Numerador Denominador Proper fraction Improper fraction Nmero mixto Fraccin irreducible Fraccin inversa Spanish