Operations with Fractions

Front

What is a fraction?

Back

A fraction represents a part of a whole and consists of a numerator (top number) and a denominator (bottom number).

Front

How do you add fractions with the same denominator?

Back

To add fractions with the same denominator, keep the denominator the same and add the numerators. Example: 1/4 + 2/4 = (1+2)/4 = 3/4.

Front

How do you subtract fractions with different denominators?

Back

To subtract fractions with different denominators, first find a common denominator, convert the fractions, then subtract the numerators. Example: 1/3 - 1/6 = 2/6 - 1/6 = 1/6.

Front

What is the process to multiply fractions?

Back

To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators together and the denominators together. Example: (2/3) * (3/4) = (2*3)/(3*4) = 6/12 = 1/2.

Front

How do you divide fractions?

Back

To divide fractions, multiply by the reciprocal of the second fraction. Example: (1/2) ÷ (3/4) = (1/2) * (4/3) = 4/6 = 2/3.

Front

What is an improper fraction?

Back

An improper fraction is a fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator. Example: 9/4 is an improper fraction.

Front

How do you convert a mixed number to an improper fraction?

Back

To convert a mixed number to an improper fraction, multiply the whole number by the denominator and add the numerator. Example: 2 1/3 = (2*3 + 1)/3 = 7/3.

Front

What is the simplest form of a fraction?

Back

The simplest form of a fraction is when the numerator and denominator have no common factors other than 1. Example: 4/8 simplifies to 1/2.

Front

How do you find the least common denominator (LCD)?

Back

The least common denominator is the smallest multiple that two or more denominators share. Example: For 1/4 and 1/6, the LCD is 12.

Front

What is a reciprocal?

Back

A reciprocal of a number is 1 divided by that number. For a fraction, it is obtained by swapping the numerator and denominator. Example: The reciprocal of 3/4 is 4/3.