Fundamental Operations

on Fractions (Part 1)

Lesson 1

Objectives:

o distinguish between prime, composite and relatively prime numbers;

o illustrate the concept of fractions through visual models and acquire a quantitative

understanding of fractions;

o represent fractions as proper/improper fractions or mixed numbers;

o identify and generate equivalent fractions;

o simplify fractions;

o arrange fractions into ascending/descending order

Preliminary

Concepts on

Fractions

Fractions

o A fraction represents a part of a whole. It consists of a

numerator and a denominator.

o The numerator is the number above the fraction bar; the

denominator is the number below the fraction bar.

o The fraction bar is called the vinculum which indicates division.

Fractions

o As such, the denominator is the divisor; hence, it shows into

how many parts a whole is divided.

o The numerator is the dividend; hence it shows how many parts

of a whole are called for.

Fractions

o Whole here is not limited to a unit as one. Rather, it also refers

to a group as a whole, say, a class, a family, a team, or any

other group taken as a unit. For example, if a class consists of

30 students and we have 20 boys and 10 girls, we say that

20/30 or 2/3 are boys and 10/30 or 1/3 are girls.

Prime, Composite

and Relatively

Prime Numbers

Prime or Composite?

o A prime number is a whole number that only has two factors which are

itself and one.

o A composite number has factors in addition to one and itself.

o The numbers 0 and 1 are neither prime nor composite.

o Only whole numbers larger than 1 can be classified as prime or

composite.

Prime Numbers:

1X2=2

1x3=3

1x5=5

1x7=7

1 x 11 = 11

Composite Numbers:

1X4=41x

9=

2x2=43x3=

1 x 6 = 6 1 x 10 = 10 2 x 3 = 6 2 x 5 = 10

1 x 8 = 8 1 x 12 = 12

2x4=

8 2 x 6 = 12

• Prime Numbers
Number Factors

21,2

31,3

51,5

71,7

11 1 , 11

• Composite Numbers

Number Factors

41,2,4

6 1 , 2, 3 , 6

8 1 , 2 , 4, 8

91,3,9

10 1 , 2 , 5 , 10

12 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 12

Relatively Prime Numbers

o Also called "coprime" or "mutually prime".

o When two numbers have no common factors other than 1.

o In other words there is no value that you could divide them both by

exactly (without any remainder).

Relatively Prime Numbers

Example:

o 21 and 22 are relatively prime:

o The factors of 21 are 1, 3, 7 and 21

o The factors of 22 are 1, 2, 11 and 22

o (the only common factor is 1)

Non Example:

o 21 and 24 are NOT relatively

prime:

o The factors of 21 are 1, 3, 7 and 21

o The factors of 24 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8,

12 and 24

o (the common factors are 1 and 3)

Least Common

Multiple and

Greatest Common

Factor

On Least Common Multiple

Multiple

o We get a multiple of a number

when we multiply it by another

number.

o Such as multiplying by 1, 2, 3, 4,

5, etc, but not zero. Just like the

multiplication table.

Examples:

o The multiples of 4 are:

4,8,12,16,20,24,28,32,36,40,44,...

o The multiples of 5 are:

5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,...

On Least Common Multiple

Common Multiple

o Say we have listed the first few

multiples of 4 and 5: the common

multiples are those that are found

in both lists which are 20, 40, 60,

80 etc.

Example:

o The multiples of 4 are:

4,8,12,16,20,24,28,32,36,40,44,...

o The multiples of 5 are:

5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,...

Least Common Multiple

o It is simply the smallest of the

common multiples.

o In our previous example, the

smallest of the common multiples

is 20 ...

o ... so the Least Common Multiple

of 4 and 5 is 20.

Example:

o The multiples of 4 are:

4,8,12,16,20,24,28,32,36,40,44,...

o The multiples of 5 are:

5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50,...

On Greatest Common Factor

Factor

o Factors are numbers we can

multiply together to get another

number.

o A number can have many factors.

Example:

o Factors of 12 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12 ...

o Because:

2 × 6 = 12, or

4 × 3 = 12, or

1 × 12 = 12.
On Greatest Common Factor

Common Factor

o Say we have worked out the

factors of two numbers, then the

common factors are those that

are found in both lists:

Example: Factors of 12 and 30

o Factors of 12 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12

o Factors of 30 are:

1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15 and 30

Greatest Common Factor

It is simply the largest of the

common factors of two or more

numbers.

o In our previous example, the

largest of the common factors is

6, so the Greatest Common

Factor of 12 and 30 is 6.

Example: Factors of 12 and 30

o Factors of 12 are:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12

o Factors of 30 are:

1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15 and 30

Common

Fractions

Common Fractions

Also called vulgar fractions and

have three types:

a) Proper Fractions

b) Improper Fractions

c) Mixed Number

Common Fraction

1. Proper Fractions

o These are fractions that express

amounts which are less than a

unit.

o As such, the numerator is always

less than the denominator.

oThe following are proper

fractions:

o1/4

o1/2

o3/4

o2/3

o5/8

o11/12

Common Fraction

2. Improper Fractions

o These are fractions that express

amounts which are equal to or greater

than a unit.

o Hence, the numerator is either equal

to or greater than the denominator.

o These fractions can be reduced to

whole numbers or to mixed numbers.

oThe following are improper

fractions:
o 3/3

o 6/5

o 7/4

o 11/5

o 18/11

o 11/3

Common Fraction

3. Mixed Numbers

o These are numbers that consist of a whole number and a fraction.

o The following are examples of mixed numbers:

o 1 1/3 (read as one and one-third)

o 2 3/5 (read as two and three-fifths)

o 5 3/4 (read as five and three-fourths)

o 8 1/3 (read as eight and one-third)

Simplifying,

Comparing and

Finding Equivalent

Fractions

Equivalent Fractions

o Equivalent Fractions have the same value, even though they may look

different.

o These fractions are really the same:


Why are they the same?

Because when you multiply or divide both the top and bottom

by the same number, the fraction keeps it's value.

Equivalent Fractions

o The rule to remember is: "Change the bottom using multiply or divide,

And the same to the top must be applied"

Simplifying Fractions

o Simplifying (or reducing) fractions

means to make the fraction as

simple as possible.

o Why say four-eighths (4/8) when

we really mean half (1/2)?

How to Simplify Fractions

Method 1

o Exactly divide (only whole

number answers) both the top

and bottom of the fraction by

2, 3, 5, 7 ,... etc., until we can't

go any further.

How to Simplify Fractions

Method 2

o Divide both the numerator and

denominator of the fraction by

the Greatest Common Factor

(GCF).

Note that the Greatest

Common Factor of 8

and 12 is 4.

8 : 1, 2, 4, 8