FRACTIONS INSTRUCTION SHEET

CONVERSIONS A. Changing a Mixed Number to an Improper Fraction

Mixed number 4

(contains a whole number and a fraction) (numerator is larger than denominator)

Step 1 Multiply the denominator and the whole number Step 2 Add this answer to the numerator; this becomes the new numerator Step 3 Carry the original denominator over Example #1: 3
1 8

3 8 + 1 = 25

25 8

Example #2:

4 9

4 9 + 4 = 40

40 9

B. Changing an Improper Fraction to a Mixed Number Step 1 Divide the numerator by the denominator Step 2 The answer from step 1 becomes the whole number Step 3 The remainder becomes the new numerator Step 4 The original denominator carries over

Example #1:

47 5

47 5

or 5

47

= 5 2

9 47 45

= 9

2 5

Example #2: C. Reducing Fractions

9 2

4 9 8 1

1 2

Step 1 Find a number that will divide into both the numerator and the denominator Step 2 Divide numerator and denominator by this number Example #1: Example #2:
10 15 4 8

= =

2 3 1 2

(because both 10 and 15 are divisible by 5) (because both 4 and 8 are divisible by 4)

D. Raising Fractions to Higher Terms When a New Denominator is Known Step 1 Divide the new denominator by the old denominator Step 2 Multiply the numerator by the answer from step 1 to find the new numerator *Note: If the original number is a mixed number, convert it to an improper fraction before raising to higher terms (see Example #2) Example #1: 4 and 2 4 = 8 Example #2: 2
44 20 1 = 5 20 11 = 5 20 11 = 5 2 = 3 12

becomes

2 8 = 3 12

because 12 3 =

becomes

becomes

because 20 5 = 4 E. Converting fractions to decimals

and

11 4 = 44

Step 1 - Divide the numerator (the top number) by the denominator (the bottom number) of the fraction.
Example: 5 8 8 5.000 48 20 16 40 40 0
.625

Add as many zeros as needed.

F. Converting decimals to fractions

Step 1 - Determine the place value of the last number in the decimal; this becomes the denominator. Step 2 Make the decimal number your numerator. Step 3 - Reduce your answer. Example: .625 - the 5 is in the thousandths column, therefore,
.625 = 625 5 = reduces to 1000 8

(Hint: Your denominator will have the same number of zeros as there are decimal digits in the decimal number you started with - .625 has three decimal digits so the denominator will have three zeros before reductions.)

G. Multiplying Simple Fractions Step 1 Multiply the numerators Step 2 Multiply the denominators Step 3 Reduce the answer to lowest terms Example:
1 4 4 2 = which reduces to 7 6 42 21

H. Multiplying Mixed Numbers Step 1 Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions first Step 2 Multiply the numerators Step 3 Multiply the denominators Step 4 Reduce the answer to lowest terms Example:
1 2

1 1 1 = 3 2

7 3 = 3 2

21 6

which then reduces to 3

*Note When opposing numerators and denominators are divisible by a common number, you may reduce the numerator and denominator before multiplying. In the above example, after converting the mixed numbers to improper fractions, you will see that the 3 in the numerator and the opposing 3 in the denominator could have been reduced by dividing both numbers by 3, resulting in the following reduced fraction:
7 31 7 1 = = 3 13 2 2 2

I. Dividing Simple Fractions Step 1 Change division sign to multiplication Step 2 Change the fraction following the multiplication sign to its reciprocal (flip the fraction around so the old denominator is the new numerator and the old numerator is the new denominator) Step 3 - Multiply the numerators Step 4 Multiply the denominators Step 5 Change the answer to lowest terms
1 2 = 8 3 1 3 8 2

Example:
3 16

becomes

which when solved is

J. Dividing Mixed Numbers Step 1 Convert the mixed number or numbers to improper fraction Step 2 Change the division sign to multiplication Step 3 Change the fraction following the multiplication sign to its reciprocal (flip the fraction around so the old denominator is the new numerator and the old numerator is the new denominator) Step 4 - Multiply the numerators Step 5 Multiply the denominators Step 6 Change the answer to lowest terms
3 5 2 = 4 6 15 17 becomes 4 6 15 4

Example:
6 = 17

becomes

which when solved is

15 63 45 = which simplifies to 1 24 17 34

K. Adding and Subtracting Fractions Step 1 Find a common denominator (a number that both denominators will go into) Step 2 Raise each fraction to higher terms as needed

Step 3 Add or subtract the numerators only as shown Step 4 Carry denominator over Step 5 Change the answer to lowest terms

Example #1: and

1 7 + = 2 8

Common denominator is 8 because both 2 8 will go into 8

1 2 7 + 8

= =

4 8 7 8 11 8

which simplifies to 1

3 8

Example #2: 4

3 1 = 5 4

Common denominator is 20 because both 4 and 5 will go into 20

3 5 1 4

= = 4

12 20 5 20

7 20

Example #3:

1 8 1 1 4

= =

1 8 2 1 8

= =

12

1 8 + 8 8 2 1 8

= =

9 8 2 1 8

7 ** 8

**Note In this problem you must borrow from the whole number to adjust your fraction so that you can subtract. However, you may do this problem another way. Simply change the mixed number to improper form before finding the common denominator to prevent having to borrow. 2
1 8

17 8

17 8

1 4

5 4

10 8 7 8

FRACTIONS PRACTICE SHEET

2.

1 5

3.

2 3

4.

5.

5 7

6.

1 16

7.

5 8

8.

4 5

9.

1 4

10. 5

2 3

11. 3

5 6

12. 6

1 2

B. Write as a mixed number. 1.

2.

19 2

3.

25 3

4.

9 8

5.

25 16

6.

35 4

7.

7 3

8.

21 8

9.

4 2

10.

12 7

11.

17 4

12.

48 9

C. Write in lowest terms. 1.

2.

21 35

3.

18 24

4.

12 15

5.

5 30

6.

9 27

7.

14 49

8.

8 32

5.

12 21

10. 2

16 20

11. 5

8 14

12. 3

10 25

D. Find the missing numerator by raising the fraction to higher terms. 1. 4.

2.

7 = 16

? 64

3.

5 = 8

? 48

5. 5

2 ? = 3 12 3 ? 8. 2 = 5 10

6.

4 ? = 5 10

7.

1 ? = 4 12

E. Convert the following fractions into decimals. 1.

2. 6.
9 16

1 8

3.

4 5

4.

5 6

5.

7 16

F. Convert the following decimals to fractions. 1. .225 2. .375 3. .0175 4. .95 5. .5 6. .45

G. Multiply.
1 1 = 9 2 3 = 16

1.

2.

7 2 = 10 5

3.

2 3 = 8 7

4.

1 2

5.

3 2 = 4 3 2 5 = 9 9

6.

7 4 = 16 3

7.

15 1 = 64 12

8.

9.

3 10 = 4

10. 1

1 5 = 2 6

11.

3 5 = 16 12

12. 14

3 = 8

13. 2

1 1 1 = 2 3

14. 3

1 1 = 16 5

15. 18 1

1 = 2

16. 16

1 = 8

17. 6 2
2 = 5

3 3 1 = 8 5

18. 2

2 3 4 = 3 8

19. 4

4 2 4 = 9 4

20. 3

1 8

H. Divide as shown. 1. 4.
1 1 = 2 4 2 1 = 9 3

2.

2 1 = 5 2

3.

8 2 = 3 3

5. 4

1 = 8

6. 8

4 = 5

7. 9

3 = 4

8.

6 4 = 5 5

9. =

4 1 = 11 11

10.

2 5 = 7 9

11.

2 4= 3

12. 14

7 8

13. 15
1 5 = 2

5 = 6

14. 8

3 = 4

15. 1

1 1 1 = 4 2

16. 3

17. 6 1
5 = 7

1 1 2 4 2

18. 5

1 2 2 = 3 3

19. 2

3 1 1 = 4 8

20. 3

1 5

I. Add or subtract as shown. 1.

2.

2 3 + = 3 4

3.

3 1 + = 32 8

5 1 + = 8 10 1 + 1 = 4

5.

6.

3 1 + 1 = 8 4

7.

1 1 + = 4 5

8. 2

1 8

9. 1
1 = 2

5 13 + = 8 16

10. 2

2 4 + = 3 9

11.

9 3 = 10 16

12.

7 8

13.

11 1 = 4 16

14.

5 1 = 6 5

15.

7 3 = 8 10

16. 1

1 3 = 2 32

17. 5 =

3 5 2 = 6 9

18. 3

2 7 1 = 8 3

19. 2

1 5 = 4 6

20. 4

5 1 1 6 2

J. Solve the word problems below using fractions. 1. The Cooper family decided to hike to Hillside Lake, approximately 8 miles away. After an hour the lake was still 5 miles away. How far did the group hike so far?

2. While riding her bike, Susan burns 450 calories every hour. Based on this rate, how many calories will Susan burn if she rides the bike for 1?

3. Last Friday Tony worked for 7 hours. Express this time as a fraction of the day.

4. When an oil tank is hold when full?

12

full, it contains 5 gallons. How many gallons does it

5. How many pieces of 10 516 inch bar can be cut from a stock 20 foot bar?

6. Byron purchased a box of candy at the store. On his way home he ate of the candy in the box. At dinner with friends later that night he served of what was left. If there are 6 chocolates now left in the box, how many did the box contain to start with? 7. Seth earns $560 per week. He has 1 5 of his income withheld for federal taxes, of his income withheld for state taxes, and 1 25 of his income withheld for medical coverage. How much income is left each week after those deductions?
1 15

8. A bolt extends through thick plywood, a washer that is thick, and a nut that is 316 thick. The bolt should be longer than the sum of the thickness of the plywood, washer and nut. What is the minimum length of the bolt?

9. A recipe for French toast that serves 6 calls for cup granulated sugar, 1 cup of evaporated milk, teaspoon of vanilla, and 12 thick slices of French bread. How much of each ingredient is needed to serve only three?

10. Bolls Electrical has a washing machine on sale for off the regular price of $429. What is the sale price of the washing machine?

11. For a family party, Tanisha made 2 5 of the desserts. If a total of 40 desserts were brought to the party, how many did Tanisha supply?

12. The price of computers has fallen by 2 5 . If the price of a computer was originally $10,275, by how much has the price fallen?