Task on Entry

Quickfire Questions
Evaluate the following (and optionally also suggest a stupid answer!)

1+1×2=𝟑 ? 1 − 4 × 2 + 3 = −𝟏𝟎?
1+1 ×2 =𝟒 ? 8÷4×2=𝟒 ?
8−4÷4=𝟕 ? 3 + 2 + 3 × 2 = 𝟑𝟏 ?
1 − 1 − 1 = −𝟏 ? 3 + 3 = 𝟑𝟎 ?
5−3+2=𝟒 ? 3 + 3 = 𝟐𝟏𝟔?

Brackets
Indices
Precedence

Division Multiplication
Addition Subtraction
 30-01-2024

Ch3 – The Four Rules

3.4 Adding and subtracting fractions

3.5 Multiplying and dividing fractions

Maths……….where every problem has a solution...

 Lesson Objectives: Lesson Learning journey: Key Vocabulary:
To be able to multiply and Last lesson: BIDMAS
divide a given fraction by an
• BIDMAS
integer, by a unit fraction and • Fractions
by a general fraction. This lesson: Adding,
subtracting, multiplying
Success criteria: fractions

1. I can Multiply and divide a Next lesson:

given fraction by an integer,
by a unit fraction and by a
general fraction.
2. I can use common
denominators to order, add
and subtract fractions.
3. I can understand and use
unit fractions as
multiplicative inverses.
STARTER :: Equivalent Fractions
Give an equivalent fraction which is as simple as possible.

2 1 6 2
= ? = ?
4 2 9 3

4 2 45 5
= ? = ?
10 5 54 6
Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is very simple if the
denominators are the same.

2 3 5 “I ate 2 sevenths of the

pizza followed by 3
+ = ? sevenths. How much
7 7 7 have I eaten?”

Therefore what should be our strategy if the

denominators are different?

2 1 8? 3? 11
?
+ = + =
3 4 12 12 ? 12
Use equivalent fractions! Find a number both of the
denominators go into (preferably the smallest).
 More Examples

1 1 2 1 𝟏
+ = + =?
3 6 6 6 𝟐

3 4 21 20 𝟏
− = − ?=
5 7 35 35 𝟑𝟓
AFL

5 8 15 16 𝟑𝟏
+ = + ?=
6 9 18 18 𝟏𝟖
Check Your Understanding
1 2
Fold the piece of paper you’ve been given into 4 and write
your answer in each quarter as follows. 3 

3 1 3 2 𝟓
1 + = + =?
8 4 8 8 𝟖

7 6 49 36 𝟏𝟑
2 − = − = ?
6 7 42 42 𝟒𝟐

1 1 1 1 30 20 15 12 𝟐𝟑
3 + − + = + − ?+ =
2 3 4 5 60 60 60 60 𝟔𝟎

 1 1 𝒂 𝟐 ?𝒂 + 𝟐
+ = + =
2 𝑎 𝟐𝒂 𝟐𝒂 𝟐𝒂
Your fraction will involve
the variable 𝑎.
A Quicker (Mental) Method
We can multiply the numerators diagonally.

5 1 40 + 6 46 23
+ = = =
48 24
6 8 48
Disadvantages of this method:
Step 1: Multiply the denominators (note: this
• Because we’re not finding
guarantees you get a number both 6 and 8
smallest denominator, further
go into, but it may not be the smallest!)
simplification may be
required. ?
Step 2: Since the 6 got multiplied by 8, so • Doesn’t extend to more than
does the 3. i.e. We are multiplying diagonally. two fractions.

Step 3: And repeat with the other numerator.

A Quicker (Mental) Method
Another example:
2 3 10 + 27 37
+ = ? =
9 5 45 45

Quickfire Questions (in your head!)

3 2 𝟏𝟗 3 3 𝟐𝟕
+ = ? + = ?
5 3 𝟏𝟓 4 5 𝟐𝟎

5 1 𝟐𝟑 1 1 𝟏
+ = ? − = ?
8 3 𝟐𝟒 2 3 𝟔

4 2 𝟑𝟒 7 1 𝟑𝟑 𝟏𝟏
+ = ? − = =?
7 5 𝟑𝟓 9 6 𝟓𝟒 𝟏𝟖
 Exercise 1 No calculators!
1 Calculate the following, simplifying your fractions 6 Add the following fractions, giving your result
where possible: in terms of any variables given.
a + = ? b − = ? a + =
𝟑
𝒂 ? b + =
𝟓𝒂
𝟔 ?
? ? c 𝒃 𝟐𝒂
c + = d − = + = ?
𝒂𝒃

e + = ? f − = ?  Unit fractions are fractions where the numerator is

1, e.g. . Egyptian fractions are a sum of unit
2 of my bananas are yellow and green. The rest are fractions where all denominators are different.
𝟕 Can you express each of these unit fractions as
pink. What fraction are pink?
𝟏𝟓 ? Egyptian fractions? There may be multiple ways.
1 𝟏 𝟏
= + 1 possibility
3 Identify the missing fraction. 2 𝟑 𝟔
𝟏 𝟏𝟔 1 𝟏 𝟏
a +□ = 𝟏𝟐 ? b +□ = ?
𝟏𝟔𝟓 3
= +
𝟒 𝟏𝟐
1 possibility
𝟏 𝟏𝟗
𝟏𝟖 ? 𝟏𝟓 ?
c +□ = d + −□= 1 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= + 2=possibilities
+
4 𝟏𝟐 𝟔 𝟓 𝟐𝟎
4 1 3 5 Calculate:
?
16 8 ?5
16 a − + = 𝟔𝟎?
𝟏𝟑
1 𝟏 𝟏
= + 1 possibility
5 𝟔 𝟑𝟎
1 1 1 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
2? 4 ?0 b −
𝟐𝟖𝟏
?
= 𝟏𝟖𝟏𝟑 6
= + = 4 possibilities
+ = +
𝟏𝟓 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟖 𝟗 𝟖 𝟐𝟒 𝟕 𝟒𝟐
= +
3 1 7 𝟏𝟔 Do the same for larger denominators. Can you
16 8 ?
16
c − − − = −?
𝟐𝟏 identify when you’ll have only 1 possibility?
Complete the magic square (where 𝟏𝟎𝟕 (Clue: = + can be rearranged to give
the total of each row, column and
d + + ?
= 𝟐𝟏𝟔 ?
𝑎 − 𝑐 𝑏− 𝑐 = 𝑐 )
long diagonal is the same).
Mixed Numbers ⇔ Improper Fractions

Improper fractions are Mixed numbers have an

where the numerator is integer and fractional
greater than the part.
denominator.

13 1?
?3
4 4

We could make up 3 wholes using quarters (because 4

goes into 13 three times).
The remainder was 1, so we have 1 quarter left over.
 Mixed Numbers ⇔ Improper Fractions
How many thirds does the 4
wholes give you?
14 4
⇒ 2? 1 ?
13
5 5 4 ⇒
3 3
17 2
⇒ 5? 3 13
3 3 ⇒ ?
AFL

2
5 5
13 1
⇒ 6? 1 15
2 2 7 ⇒ ?
2 2
24 3
⇒ 3? 2 26
7 7 8 ⇒ ?
3 3
41 1
⇒ 4? 6 83
10 10 11 ⇒ ?
7 7
Adding Mixed Numbers
To add mixed numbers:
Make fractional parts the same.
1 1 3 2
3 + 5 = 3 +?5
2 3 6 6
𝟓
=𝟓 ?
Add whole parts and fractional
𝟔 parts separately.

5 1 𝟓 𝟐
2 + 5 = 𝟐 +?𝟓
6 3 𝟔 𝟔
𝟕
=𝟕
𝟔
? If we’ve ‘overflown’ into the next
whole, we need to carry.
𝟏
=𝟖
𝟔
?
Subtracting Mixed Numbers
To subtract mixed numbers…
We’d end up with a
1 1 2 3
9 − 4 = 9 −?4 negative number for
3 2 6 6 the fractions. Can we
8 3
= 8 −?4 borrow a whole? (In
6 6 the same way we borrow in
5 column subtraction)
=4
6
?
(Alternatively you can just convert both to improper fractions and subtract as normal)

2 3
56 − 40
5 7
1 2 𝟑 𝟖 𝟏𝟒 𝟏𝟓
7 −3 =𝟕 −?𝟑 = 𝟓𝟔 −?𝟒𝟎
4 3 𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐 𝟑𝟓 𝟑𝟓
𝟏𝟓 𝟖 𝟒𝟗 𝟏𝟓
=𝟔 −?𝟑 = 𝟓𝟓 −?𝟒𝟎
𝟏𝟐 𝟏𝟐 𝟑𝟓 𝟑𝟓
𝟕 𝟑𝟒
=𝟑 ? = 𝟏𝟓 ?
𝟏𝟐 𝟑𝟓
Check Your Understanding

1 2 ?
𝟏
2 + 142 = 𝟏𝟒𝟓
2 3 𝟔

1 1 𝟏𝟏
76 − 30 = 𝟒𝟓 ?
4 3 𝟏𝟐
TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Multiplying Fractions
Skills to do with multiplying fractions:
• Multiply simple fractions.
• Multiply a mixture of whole numbers, proper fractions and mixed numbers.
• Understand ‘cross cancelling’ with fractions, including with several fractions where
there may be a pattern of cancelling.
• Find a fraction of an amount (including a fraction of a fraction).
• Understand how to deal with fractions nested inside fractions.
• Solve puzzles involving fractions, particularly involving successive fractions of an
amount and what’s left.

Multiplying fractions is fairly easy. Simply multiply numerators and denominators.

3 5 15
× = ?
4 7 28
Cross-Cancelling
Recall that we can simplify fractions by dividing top and bottom by a common factor.
Since numerators are being combined and denominators likewise, there’s nothing
preventing us cancelling any numerator with any denominator.

1 5
6 55 𝟓
× = ?
1
11 18 𝟑
3

10 14 𝟒
× = ?
21 15 𝟗

1 2 3 𝑛−1 𝟏
× × ×⋯× = ?
2 3 4 𝑛 𝒏
We can see the numbers between 2 and 𝑛 − 1 are common to top and
bottom. This leaves just 1 in the numerator and 𝑛 in the denominator.
 Test Your Understanding
Ensure you simplify
3 5 𝟏𝟓 your fraction.
A × = ?
7 11 𝟕𝟕

B 13 20 𝟏
× = ?
80 39 𝟏𝟐
AFL

5 21 𝟏
C × = ?
14 15 𝟐

1 2 3 4 5 998 𝟏×𝟐 𝟏
 × × × × × ⋯× = ?=
3 4 5 6 7 1000 𝟗𝟗𝟗 × 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟒𝟗𝟗𝟓𝟎𝟎
All numbers between 3 and 998 will cancel top and
bottom. This leaves just 1 and 2 in the numerator
and 999 and 1000 in the denominator.
 Exercise 2
1 Convert the following to mixed numbers: 5 Bob and Dave go to PizzaScoff. Starting with 35
a ⇒1 ? b ⇒1 ? pizzas, Bob eats 6 pizzas and Dave eats 8
c ⇒3? d ⇒4? pizzas. How many are left? 𝟏𝟗 ?𝟏𝟑𝟏𝟓
e ⇒9 ? f ⇒ 22?
6 The perimeter of a rectangle is 20. If its width is
2 Convert the following to improper fractions: 𝟒

a 2 ⇒ ?
3 , what is its height? 𝟔 ?𝟕
b 3 ⇒ ?
TASK

c 7 ⇒ ? d 3 ⇒ ? 7 Calculate and simplify:

3 16 15
a 4× 5 × 9 = 𝟒 ?
3 Calculate the following (leave answer as mixed number)
1 2 3 98 𝟏
a 2 + = 3? b 5 + 2 = 8 ? b × × ×⋯× = ?
3 4 5 100 𝟒𝟗𝟓𝟎
c 4 − = 3? d 8 −4 = 3 ?  5 × 7 × 9 × 11 × ⋯ × 101 = 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
?
1 3 5 7 97
e 7 + 10 = 17? f 10 − 7 = 2 ?
𝟏𝟔 𝟏𝟗
?𝟑𝟓
g 68 − 17 = 𝟓𝟏 h 39 − 29 = 𝟗?
𝟐𝟎
 Simplify:
3 5 4 6 5 7 𝑛−1 𝑛+1
4 Calculate (and simplify): × × × × × …× ×
4 4 5 5 6 6 𝑛 𝑛
a × = = 𝟓?
𝟔
b × = ? 𝟒
𝟑 After the first fraction, each pair of fractions
? = ?
𝟑 𝟗
× = × cancel. This leaves just the first and last
c 𝟏𝟎
𝟏𝟒
d 𝟐
𝟐𝟕 𝟑 𝒏 𝟏 ?
e × = ? f × = ? fraction, giving
𝟒𝒏
𝟓 𝟓𝟔
Multiplying Mixed Numbers
If the numbers are not improper fractions, convert them into improper fractions.

Examples: Quickfire Questions:

Schoolboy Error:
4 𝟖 thinking the
1 1 𝟕 𝟗 𝟔𝟑 2× = ? answer is .
3 × 2 = × ?= 3 𝟑
2 4 𝟐 𝟒 𝟖
5 𝟏𝟎
7
×2 =
𝟕 ?
2 𝟒 𝟏𝟕 𝟔𝟖
4×3 = × ?= 1 4 𝟕 𝟒 𝟐𝟖
2 × = × ?
5 𝟏 𝟓 𝟓 =
3 5 𝟑 𝟓 𝟏𝟓

1 3 𝟒 𝟏𝟑 𝟓𝟐
2 𝟐𝟑 𝟐 𝟒𝟔 1 × 2 = × ?=
7 ×2= × ?= 3 5 𝟑 𝟓 𝟏𝟓
3 𝟑 𝟏 𝟑 1 3 𝟕 𝟏𝟗 𝟏𝟑𝟑
3 × 4 = × ?=
2 4 𝟐 𝟒 𝟖
Dividing Fractions

Mental division

1 1 What if this was phrased as “how many

2 ÷ = 𝟏𝟎 ? quarter pizzas go into two and a half
2 4 pizzas”?

1 What appears to be the effect of

5÷ = 𝟐𝟎 ? dividing by ?
4
1
100 ÷ = 𝟑𝟎𝟎 ? Or by ?
3
Dividing Fractions
More generally…

Reciprocate (i.e. ‘flip’) the second fraction, and use multiplication instead.

4 2 3 4
÷ ÷
5 3 7 9
4 3 𝟔 3 9 𝟐𝟕
= × = ? = × = ?
5 2 𝟓 7 4 𝟐𝟖

1 1 1 4
2 ÷1 2÷3 8÷1
2 3 2 5
5 4 2 7 8 9
= ÷ = ÷ = ÷
2 3? 1 2 1 5
5 3 𝟏𝟓 2 2? 𝟒 8 5 ? 𝟒𝟎
= × = = × = = × =
2 4 𝟖 1 7 𝟕 1 9 𝟗
 Test Your Understanding

2 1 3
A 3 ×4 B 8÷ C 6÷1
5 5 4
17 4 = 𝟒𝟎 6 7
AFL

= × ? = ÷
5 1 1?4
𝟔𝟖? 𝟔 𝟒
= = ×
𝟓 𝟏 𝟕

D [JMO 1996 A4] Evaluate + + × −

𝟏
?
𝟐𝟎
 Exercise 3
5 𝟏𝟏𝟑
1 Calculate the following, simplifying/8 × 1 = Calculate − ÷ × + = ?
𝟔𝟑𝟎
𝟗𝟏
𝟔? b
cross-cancelling where possible. 6 If 𝑎 = , 𝑏 = −2, 𝑐 = 1 determine:
a 4 × = 𝟒? d 1 ×4= ? 𝟏𝟔 𝟒𝟗
? 𝟐𝟑
𝟓
𝟏𝟓
𝟑
𝟑
𝑎 +𝑐 =
𝟑𝟔
𝑐 − 𝑏𝑐 =
𝟏𝟐 ?
c × = ? f × = ? 7 [JMO 2010 A1] What is the value of
𝟐 𝟐𝟎
TASK

e 1 ×1 =𝟐
? h × =
𝟗
?
𝟐
+ + + + ? Solution: 55
?
g 4 × 8 [IMC 2012 Q15] Which of the following has a
?
= 𝟏𝟐
value that is closest to 0?
2 [JMC 2010 Q6] Which of the following has the
largest value? A + × B + ÷
A6÷ B 5÷ C4÷ D 3÷ E 2÷ C × ÷ D − ÷

3
?
Solution: C E − × Solution: E
?
a Calculate𝟒 the following:
b 𝟐𝟐 1 [Kangaroo Pink 2003 Q15] What is the value of:
c
1÷ = ?𝟑𝟑 d
÷ = ?𝟐𝟔
𝟐𝟏 1 + × 1 + ×⋯× 1 + ?
1 ÷5= ? 4 ÷2 = ? 𝟑 𝟒 𝟓 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟒 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟒
e 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟓
f
6÷4 = ?
𝟒
𝟑
3 ÷2
𝟕
= ?
𝟔
× × ×⋯×
𝟐 𝟑 𝟒 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟑
=
𝟐
= 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟐?
g 𝟏𝟎𝟎 h 𝟒
10 ÷ 9 = 5 ÷4 = ?
?
𝟗𝟗 𝟑 2 Calculate 1 − =
𝟐
𝟑 ?
4
[JMC 1997 Q9] What is the value of
?
? 16
igcse Edexcel Higher: June 2018 Paper 1, Q2
1 There are some people in a cinema.
of the people in the cinema are children.
For the children in the cinema, number of girls : number of boys = 2 : 7
There are 170 girls in the cinema.
Work out the number of adults in the cinema.

(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)

igcse Edexcel Higher: June 2018 Paper 1, Q2
1 There are some people at a football match.
of the people at the match are adults.
For the children at the match,
number of home team supporters : number of away team supporters = 5 : 3
There are 140 more home supporters than away team supporters.
Work out the number of adults at the match.

(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)

igcse Edexcel Higher: June 2018 Paper 1, Q2
1 There are some people in a cinema.
of the people in the cinema are children.
For the children in the cinema, number of girls : number of boys = 2 : 7
There are 170 girls in the cinema.
Work out the number of adults in the cinema.

girls : boys
170 : ?
170 ÷ 2 = 85 people per part
85 × 7 = 595 boys
170 : 595
170 : 595 = 765 children
765 = of total
765 ÷ 3 = = 255

Adults = of total
= 255 × 2 = 510 510
(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)
igcse Edexcel Higher: June 2018 Paper 1, Q2
1 There are some people at a football match.
of the people at the match are adults.
For the children at the match,
number of home team supporters : number of away team supporters = 5 : 3
There are 140 more home supporters than away team supporters.
Work out the number of adults at the match.
5-3=2
5+3=8
home : away
140 ÷ 2 = 70 people per part
70 × 8 = 560 children
560 = of total

560 ÷ 4 = = 140

Adults = of total
= 140 × 3 = 420

420
(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)
igcse Cambridge Extended: May 2020 Paper 4, Q1a
1 Write $22.80 as a fraction of $1900.
Give your answer in its lowest terms.

CALC. 22.80 3
1900 250 [2]
2 Write $43.40 as a fraction of $2790.
Give your answer in its lowest terms.

CALC. 43.40 7
2790 450 [2]
3 Write $101.20 as a fraction of $2944.
Give your answer in its lowest terms.

CALC. 101.20 11
2944 320 [2]
 Cambridge Extended: October 2019 Paper 2, Q8
1 Without using a calculator, work out 7
×1
1 7 5
20 4 ×
You must show all your working and 20 4
give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.

35 7
=
80 16 [2]
2 Without using a calculator, work out 7 1 7 6
×1
You must show all your working and
24 5 ×
24 5
give your answer as a fraction in its simplest form.

42 21 7
= =
120 60 20 [2]
Embedded Fractions

[JMO 2004 A1] Write as a decimal.

There’s two ways you could deal with this:

1 of outer
Multiply top and bottom 3 fraction
3 by denominator
= =
1of inner
3 +one.
1 4
1+ ?
3
1 1 4
= =1÷
1
Simplify denominator
4 3
1 + then treat outer fraction as a division.
3 3?
1 3 3
= × = = 0.75
1 4 4
PLENARY

A What is ?

𝟏 𝟏 𝟕 𝟑 𝟏𝟐 𝟑𝟔
𝟑÷ + = 𝟑 ÷? = × =
𝟒 𝟑 𝟏𝟐 𝟏 𝟕 𝟕

 What is ?

𝟏 𝟏 𝟏
= = = = −𝟐
𝟏 ?𝟑 𝟏
𝟏− 𝟐 𝟏− −
𝟐 𝟐
𝟑