Grade 6

Fractions

 A fraction is a number representing a part of a whole.

The whole may be a single object or a group of objects.
Example:

 While expressing a situation where parts have to be counted to write a fraction, it

must be ensured that all parts are equal.
2
 For a fraction , 2 is called its numerator and 13 is called its denominator.
13
 A fraction can be represented on a number line.
2
For example, to represent on the number line, first of all, the gap between 0 and
7
1 is divided into 7 equal parts.
1
Then, each part represents the fraction .
7
2
Therefore, can be easily represented on the number line as
7

 Fractions are categorized into three types: proper, improper, and mixed fraction.
 Proper fractions are those fractions in which the numerator is less than the
denominator. These fractions are always less than 1.
17
Example: is a proper fraction since the numerator, 17, is less than the
24
denominator, 24.
 Improper fractions are those fractions in which the numerator is greater than the
denominator. These fractions are always greater than 1.
15
Example: is an improper fraction since the numerator (15) > denominator (7).
7
 A mixed fraction is a combination of a whole number and a part.
5
Example: 9
13
 If numerator and denominator of a fraction are equal, then the fraction is 1.
5
Example: 1
5

 A mixed fraction can be converted into an improper fraction as

Whole Denominator Numerator
Denominator
2 8 23 2 184 2 186
Example: 8
23 23 23 23
 To convert an improper fraction into a mixed fraction, first of all, the quotient and
remainder are obtained by just dividing the numerator by the denominator. Then,
the mixed fraction corresponding to the given improper fraction is written as
Remainder
Quotient
Divisor Denominator
Example: To find the mixed fraction corresponding to the improper fraction
182
, first of all, 182 is divided by 17.
7

10
17 182
17
12
0
12

Here, divisor = 17, quotient = 10, and remainder = 12

182 12
10
17 17

 To represent a proper fraction in the form of a figure, an object or a group of

objects are divided into equal number of parts related to the denominator. The parts
equal to the numerator are shaded.
3
Example: can be represented as
5
 To represent a mixed fraction in the form of a figure, both the figures denoting
whole part and the proper fraction part are shaded.
1
Example: 2 can be represented as
4

 To represent an improper fraction in the form of a figure, firstly, it is converted into

mixed fraction and then, the same procedure is followed as above.
7
Example: can be represented as
4
7 3
1
4 4

 To find an equivalent fraction of a given fraction, both the numerator and

denominator of the given fraction are multiplied or divided by the same number.
Example:
12 12 2 24 12 12 5 60
,
18 18 2 36 18 18 5 90
12 12 2 6 12 12 3 4
,
18 18 2 9 18 18 3 6
12 24 60 6 4
18 36 90 9 6

 Two fractions are equivalent, if the product of the numerator of the first fraction
and the denominator of the second fraction is equal to the product of the numerator
of the second fraction and the denominator of the first fraction.
3 18
Example: To check the equivalence of and , the following calculation is
5 30
carried out.
 3 × 30 = 90 and 5 × 18 = 90
3 18
Since 3 × 30 = 5 × 18, =
5 30
 A fraction is said to be in its simplest or lowest form, if its numerator and
denominator have no common factor other than 1.
2
Example: The fraction, , is in its simplest form since 1 is the only common
9
6
factor of 2 and 9. The fraction, , is not in its simplest form as the common factor
15
of 6 and 15, other than 1, is 3.

 A fraction can be reduced to its simplest form or lowest form by dividing both
numerator and denominator by the HCF of the numerator and denominator.

49
Example: Convert into its simplest form.
91

Solution:
HCF of 49 and 91 is 7.
49 49 7 7
91 91 7 13
7 49
Therefore, is the simplest form of .
13 91

 Fractions with same denominators are called like fractions.

9 2 11 7
Example: , , , are like fractions.
5 5 5 5

 Fractions with different denominators are called unlike fractions.

9 11 12
Example: , , are unlike fractions.
8 3 7

 If two or more fractions are like fractions, then greater the numerator, greater is the
fraction.
9 25 21 6
Example: Among the fractions, , , , and , it can be observed that,
17 17 17 17
25 21 9 6
 25 21 9 6
17 17 17 17

 If two or more fractions have the same numerator, then smaller the denominator,
greater is the fraction.
17 17 17
Example: Among the fractions, , , and , it can be observed that,
5 3 11
3 < 5 < 11
17 17 17
3 5 11

 To compare two unlike fractions (without same numerator), first of all, these
fractions are converted into their equivalent fractions of same denominator, which is
the LCM of the denominators of the fractions. Then, like fractions are obtained,
which can be compared easily.
5 20
Example: and can be compared as
6 21
LCM of 6 and 21 = 42
5 5 7 35 20 20 2 40
,
6 6 7 42 21 21 2 42
35 40
Here, and are like fractions.
42 42
40 35
Since , we obtain
42 42
20 5
21 6

 Addition of two like fractions can be performed just by adding the numerators and
retaining the denominator of the fractions.
Example:
17 3 17 3 20 20 5 4
25 25 25 25 25 5 5

 Subtraction of two like fractions can be performed just by subtracting the

numerators and retaining the denominator of the fractions.
31 4 31 4 27 27 3 9
15 15 15 15 15 3 5
  To perform the addition and subtraction of unlike fractions, first of all, they are
converted into their equivalent fractions with the denominator as the LCM of their
denominators. Then, addition or subtraction can be performed easily.
4 5
Example: Find the sum of and .
3 12

Solution:
LCM of 3 and 12 = 12
4 5 4 4 5 1 16 5 21 21 3 7
3 12 3 4 12 1 12 12 12 12 3 4

4 3
Example: Subtract from .
33 22

Solution:
LCM of 33 and 22 = 66
3 4 3 3 4 2 9 8 9 8 1
22 33 22 3 33 2 66 66 66 66

 To add or subtract mixed fractions, first of all, they are converted into improper
fractions. Then, they can be added or subtracted easily.

Example:
2 4 37 31
7 3
5 9 5 9
37 9 31 5
LCM of 5 and 9 is 45.
5 9 9 5
333 155
45 45
333 155
45
488
45
38
10
45

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