PART 1

Learning Outcomes
• At the end of this module, you should be able
1. Define fraction and describe its parts
2. Differentiate proper and improper fraction and give examples
3. Convert improper fraction to mixed number and vice versa
4. Define like fractions and unlike fractions
5. Convert unlike fractions to like fractions
6. Define and give examples of unit fraction
7. Find equivalent fractions
8. Determine whether a fraction is in its lowest term
9. Reduce a fraction to its lowest terms
What are Fractions?

 Fractions are for counting part of a whole or a set

Loosely speaking, a fraction is a quantity that cannot be represented by a whole

number.

A fraction (from the Latin fractus, broken) is a number that can represent part of a
whole.
The earliest fractions were reciprocals of integers: ancient symbols representing one
part of two, one part of three, one part of four, and so on.
Why is there a need of Fractions?
Example

How much of a pizza do we have

remaining? If we divide the whole
pizza into 8 congruent pieces
- the denominator would be 8
- the numerator is 7, the number
of slices left

Therefore, we have 7/8 of a pizza

remaining.
Parts of a fraction
Examples
Non-examples
When the parts of the whole are unevenly divided, they don’t form
fractions.
Mixed
number
• Proper Fraction
A fraction with a numerator that is smaller than the denominator.

• Improper fraction
Fractions with a numerator that is equal or more than the denominator.

• Mixed number
A number written as the sum of a whole number and a proper fraction
Conversion of mixed number to improper fraction
and vice versa
Mixed Number to Improper Fraction Improper Fraction to Mixed Number
Divide the Numerator by the denominator that
the quotient will be the whole number and remainder
will be the numerator, while denominator will remain
the same.
One great observation.

• Proper fractions lie between 0 and 1

Another important & useful observation.
An improper fraction that is always equal to 1 is the fraction whose
numerator is equal to its denominator

𝑎
=1
𝑎
Examples:

2 7 18 36
, , , , ,
2 7 18 36
Unit Fraction
A unit fraction is a rational number written as a fraction where the
numerator is one and the denominator is a positive integer.
Like and Unlike Fractions

Like Fractions
pair or set of fractions with the same
denominators

Unlike fractions
pair or set of fractions with different
denominators
Equivalent Fractions
• Equivalent fractions are the fractions that have different numerator and denominator
but are equal to the same value. They represent the same proportion of the whole.

1 3
= = =
6 8
How to find equivalent fractions?
To find the equivalent fraction of proper and improper fraction, we have to
multiply both the numerator and denominator with the same number.

Or we could divide the numerator and denominator with their

common factor if it exists.
Conversion: Unlike fractions to like fractions
Steps
1. First, find the LCM of the denominators
2. Then convert each fraction to its equivalent fraction with the denominator equal to the LCM
1 3
Example. Convert 𝑎𝑛𝑑 to like fractions.
5 4
• LCM(5,4) = 20

1 4
=
5 20

3 15
=
4 20
Reducing Fraction to its lowest term
• A fraction a/b is in its lowest term (or simplest form) if and only if GCF(a,b) = 1
Example : 2/5 is in lowest term since GCF(2,5) = 1
• Steps in reducing fraction
1. Find the GCF of the numerator and the denominator
2. Divide both numerator and denominator by the GCF
Examples:
Reduce 12/15
GCF(12,15)= 3
Sample Worksheets for pupils
Your Task

• Review this material for a quiz on fraction

(after Fraction Part 2 )