Math 195Q and Math 101

Fraction Rules
ac
bc

1. Cancellation:

2. Multiplication:

a
b

a c
b d

ac
bd

Remark: Any number a can be written as a fraction a

multiplication rule to multiply any number by a fraction:

3. Division:

a
b
c
d

a . You can use this fact and the

1

c
d

a c
1 d

ac
1d

ac
d

ad
bc

4. Addition and subtraction:

a
c

b
c

a b
c

a
b

c
d

ad bc
bd

Remark: In the last rule one can use the Least Common Multiple of b and d, instead of bd, as
denominator (we will do it in Chapter 6). The result will be the same as applying the last rule,
and then using cancellation to simplify the final fraction.
Subtraction is done the same as addition by replacing the + by - .

5. Cross multiplication: If

a
b

c
, then ad
d

cb