BUSINESS MATHEMATICS

MODULE 1
1.7. FACTORS OF A NUMBER
Prime numbers are numbers which have only itself and one as their factors.
Examples:
17, 5, 11, 13, 71, 37, 2

Composite numbers are numbers which have other factors aside from one and itself.
Examples:
25, 90, 75, 110, 267, 1101
25 = 5 x 5 x 1 or 25 x 1
90 = 45 x 2 x 1 or 9x5x2x1
75 = 25 x 3 x 1 or 15 x 5 x 1
110 = 11 x 10 x 1 or 11 x 2 x 5 x 1
267 = 89 x 3 x 1 or 267 x 1
1,101 = 367 x 3 or 1,101 x 1

Least common multiple of numbers represents the least number that contains both the
numbers.
Examples:
The multiples of 5 and 2 are 10, 20, 30, 40, … . The least common multiple is 10.
The multiples of 4, 16, and 2 are 16, 32, 64, … . The least common multiple is 16.

1.8. FRACTIONS
𝑎
A fraction is a quotient or a ratio of two numbers. We can express it in the form where b ≠
𝑏
0.
Fractions are a subset of the set of rational numbers.
5
In the example, , 5 is the numerator and 10 is the denominator. The denominator indicates
10
the number of parts a whole is divided.

[Figure 2.1 UNREADABLE]

1.8.1. TYPES OF FRACTIONS
A proper fraction is a fraction whose numerator is less than the denominator.
Examples:
1 3 11 100 2 10000
, , , , ,
2 4 16 300 18 30000

An improper fraction is a fraction whose numerator is greater than the denominator.

Examples:
32 11 100 12 1200 954
, , , , ,
22 5 90 2 100 415

A mixed number is a fraction which contains a whole number and a proper fraction.
Examples:
3 6 5 12
12
4
, 4 , 50 , 12
8 21
, 8 15, 1000 2

8 10

1.8.2. RULES TO REMEMBER IN DEALING WITH FRACTIONS

1. Multiplying both numerator and denominator by the same number does not change the
fraction.
2. Dividing both the numerator and denominator by the same number does not change the
fraction.
3. To change a mixed number to an improper fraction, multiply the denominator by the
whole number and add the numerator. The improper fraction is the result over the
denominator.
4. To change an improper fraction to a mixed number, divide the numerator by the
denominator. If there is a remainder, the quotient is the whole number and assess(?)
the numerator over the denominator (divisor?).

[Example 1 – Example 4 UNREADABLE]

1.8.3. REDUCING FRACTIONS TO LOWEST TERMS
We reduce a fraction to lowest terms by dividing both numerator and denominator by the
biggest whole number common to both called the greatest common factor (GCF).

Examples:

Reduce each of the following fractions:

2 2𝑥1 1
a.) = = (GCF is 2)
4 2𝑥2𝑥1 2

100 100 𝑥 1 1
b.) = = (GCF is 100)
200 100 𝑥 2 2

12 4 𝑥3𝑥1 3
c.) = = (GCF is 4)
32 4 𝑥8𝑥1 8

15 3𝑥5𝑥1 3
d.) = = (GCF is 5)
25 5𝑥5𝑥1 5

1.8.4. THE FOUR FUNDAMENTAL OPERATIONS FOR FRACTIONS

We will take addition and subtraction of fractions simultaneously in as much as subtraction
is defined in terms of addition.
A. Addition and Subtraction of Fractions
1. For like fractions, we have
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎+𝑐
+ = where b ≠ 0
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏

Examples:
3 1 4
a.) + = or 1
4 4 4
1 1 2
b.) 7 + 2 = 9
3 3 3
10 6 3 19
c.) + + =
25 25 25 25
9 4 5 1
d.) − = or
15 15 15 3
8 6 1 14 1 13
e.) + − = − =
121 121 121 121 121 121
2. For unlike fractions, we first find the Least Common Denominator (LCD).
a.) To find the LCD, we factor all the denominators into prime factors giving to each
factor the highest number of times it appears as a factor in the denominator and get
the product.
b.) Divide the LCD by each denominator of the fractions and multiply the quotient by
the numerator.
c.) The equivalent fractions are added.
d.) All the answers should be in lowest terms.

Examples:

3 1 (1 𝑥 3)+(2 𝑥 1) 3+2 5 1
a.) + = = = 𝑜𝑟 1
4 2 4 4 4 4

4 ÷ 4 = 1, 1 x 3 = 3

4 ÷ 2 = 2, 2 x 1 = 2

The prime factors of 4 and 2:

4 = 2x 2

2=2

LCD is 2 x 2 = 4
1 1 3
Example 2: Find the sum of 7 , 13 , 𝑎𝑛𝑑 5 .
4 2 8

Solutions:
1 2
7 =7
4 8

1 4
+ 13 = 13
2 8

3 3
5 =5
8 8

9 1
= 25 𝑜𝑟 26
8 8

The prime factor of 4, 2, and 8:

4=2x2

2=2

8=2x2x2

LCD is 2 x 2 x 2 = 8
 3 6
Example 3: Subtract 9 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 19 .
15 25

Solution:
6 (3 𝑥 6) 18
19 = 19 = 19
25 75 75

3 (5 𝑥 3) 15
−9 = −9 = −9
15 75 75

3 1
= 10 𝑜𝑟 10
75 25

The prime factor of 25 and 15:

25 = 5 x 5

15 = 5 x 3

LCD is 5 x 5 x 3 = 75

3. Adding or subtracting a mixed number to or from a whole number.

3
Example 1: Add 4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 29.
5

Solution:

29
3
+ 4
5
3
= 33
5

B. Multiplication of Fractions
We follow the rules that we get the product of all the numerators over the product
of all the denominators.

𝑎 𝑐 𝑎𝑐
× =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑏𝑑
𝑎𝑏 𝑏
The cancellation law states that if we have , then , we cancel the greatest common factor
𝑎𝑐 𝑐
a, in both the numerator and the denominator.
Examples: Multiply,
7 100 7 5𝑥2𝑥5𝑥2 1
a.) × = × =
250 28 5 𝑥 5 𝑥 10 7𝑥2𝑥2 10

5 6 5 2𝑥3 1
b.) × = × =
10 15 5𝑥2 5𝑥3 5
1. Multiplying a whole number by a mixed number or a mixed number by a mixed
number.
We change the mixed number to an improper fraction and proceed with
multiplication.
1
Example: Multiply 3 by 7
2

Solution:
15 45 1
3 × = 𝑜𝑟 22
2 2 2

2. Multiplying mixed numbers

We change the mixed numbers to improper fractions and proceed with

multiplication.
1 2
Example: Multiply 2 by 7
2 3

Solution:
5 23 115 1
× = 𝑜𝑟 19
2 3 6 6

C. Division of Fractions
1. Dividing proper fractions

We follow the rule that we invert the divisor or get the reciprocal of the divisor and
proceed with multiplication of fractions.

𝑎 𝑐 𝑎 𝑏 𝑎𝑏
÷ = × =
𝑑 𝑏 𝑏 𝑐 𝑐𝑑
2 5
Example 1: Divide by .
3 6

Solution:
2 5 2 6 12 4
÷ = × = 𝑜𝑟
3 6 3 5 15 5

9 36
Example 2: Divide by .
27 81

Solution:
9 36 9 81 3𝑥3 9𝑥9 3
÷ = × = × =
27 81 27 36 9𝑥3 9𝑥4 4
 2. Dividing mixed numbers

We change the mixed numbers to improper fractions and proceed with

multiplication
10 1
Example 1: Divide 2 by 3 .
11 6

Solution:
10 (11 𝑥 2)+10 22 + 10 32
Change 2 to = =
11 11 11 11

1 (6 𝑥 3)+1 18 + 1 19
Change 3 to = =
6 6 6 6

10 1 32 19 32 6 192
2 ÷ 3 = ÷ = × =
11 6 11 6 11 19 209

1
Example 2: Divide 6 by 7 .
5

Solution:
1 (5 𝑥 7)+1 36
Change 7 to =
5 11 5

36 5 5 5
6 ÷ = 6 × =6 × =
5 36 6𝑥6 6

1.9. FRACTIONS, DECIMAL NUMBERS, AND PERCENT

A. Changing a fraction to its decimal equivalent
We change a fraction to its decimal equivalent by dividing the numerator by the
denominator until the remainder is zero or until the required number of decimal place is
obtained.

Examples:

Change these fractions to their decimal equivalent

1 5 9
a.) b.) c.)
2 2 11

Solutions:
 6
d.) = .43 (rounded off to two decimal places)
14

8
e.) = .5333 (rounded off to four decimal places)
15

B. Changing a decimal number to its equivalent fraction

We change a decimal to its equivalent fraction by expressing it as a fraction whose

denominator is a power of 10 and reducing it to its lowest term.

Examples:

Change these decimals to their equivalent fractions.

2 1
a.) . 2 = =
10 5
75 3
b.) . 75 = =
100 4
625 5
c.) . 625 = =
1,000 8
40 2
d.) . 40 = =
100 5
1 1
e.) . 001 = =
100 5
10
f.) = .10 → .10 = 10%
100
19
g.) = 1.58 → 1.58 = 158%
12

C. Changing percent to fractions

We change a percent to a decimal by dividing first the numerator by 100, then express the
decimal by a fraction in its lowest term.

Examples:

25 1
a.) 25% = .25 = =
100 4
45 9
b.) 4.5% = .045 = =
1000 200
99
c.) 99% = .99 =
100
50 1
d.) 50% = .50 = =
100 2
75 3
e.) 75% = .75 = =
100 4