18 Fractions of Whole Numbers

Consider the following problem: Suppose that a class of twenty students took
a math test and only 5 students made a passing grade. To describe such a
situation one will say that one fourth of the class passed and three-fourth
failed. The class is considered as a unit. We break this unit into four
groups each consisting of ve students. One of the group consists of those
students who passed the test and the other three consist of those students
who failed the test. Considerations like these lead to the introduction of
fractions.
The word fraction comes from the Latin word fractius which means to
break. When an object is divided into an equal number of parts then each
part is called a fraction.
There are dierent ways of writing a fraction. For example, two fths of an
object can be written as
a common fraction:
2
5
a decimal 0.4
a percentage 40%
We will learn about percentages and decimals later.
Now, let us have a closer look at the common fraction:
a
b
.
The number a is called the numerator and represents the number of parts
in consideration.
The number b is called the denominator and represents how many equal
parts in the unit. Keep in mind that this number can never be zero since
division by zero is undened.
Example 18.1
Show that any whole number is a fraction.
Solution.
If a is a whole number then we can write a as the fraction
a
1
.
Dierent Types of Fractions
There are 3 dierent types of fractions:
Proper Fractions
Proper fractions have the numerator part smaller than the denominator part,
1
for example
2
5
.
Improper Fractions
Improper fractions have the numerator part greater or equal to the denomi-
nator part, for example
7
6
.
Mixed Fractions
Mixed fractions have a whole number plus a fraction, for example, 3
1
2
= 3+
1
2
.
Pictorial Representation of a Fraction
Several physical and pictorial representations are useful in the elementary
school classroom to illustrate fraction concepts. We consider four dierent
pictorial representations of a fraction.
Colored Regions
A shape is chosen to represent the unit and is then subdivided into equal
parts. A fraction is visualized by coloring some of the parts as shown in
Figure 18.1.
Figure 18.1
The Set Model
Figure 18.2 shows a set of 7 apples that contains a subset of 3 that are wormy.
Therefore, we would say that
3
7
of the apples are wormy.
Figure 18.2
Fraction Strips
Here the unit is dened by a rectangular strip. A fraction
a
b
is modeled by
shading a parts of the b equally sized subrectangles. Sample fraction strips
are shown in Figure 18.3.
2
Figure 18.3
The Number-Line Model
A fraction such as
5
4
is assigned to a point along the number line by sub-
dividing the interval [0, 1] into four equal parts, and then counting o 5 of
these lengths to the right of 0 as shown in Figure 18.4.
Figure 18.4
Practice Problems
Problem 18.1
Explain how to complete each diagram so that it shows
3
10
.
Problem 18.2
A child shows
4
5
as
What is wrong with the diagram?
Problem 18.3
What fraction is represented by the shaded parts?
3
Problem 18.4
Depict the fraction
4
6
with the following models.
(a) Colored region model
(b) Set model
(c) Fraction strip model
(d) Number-line model.
Problem 18.5
Express the following quantities by a fraction placed in the blank space.
(a) 20 minutes is of an hour.
(b) 30 seconds is of a minute.
(c) 5 days is of a week.
(d) 25 years is of a century.
(e) A quarter is of a dollar.
(f) 3 eggs is of a dozen.
Problem 18.6
Three fths of a class of 25 students are girls. How many are girls?
Problem 18.7
The Independent party received one-eleventh of the 6,186,279 votes cast.
How many votes did the party receive?
Equivalent or Equal Fractions
Equivalent fractions are fractions that have the same value or represent
the same part of an object. If a pie is cut into two pieces, each piece is also
one-half of the pie. If a pie is cut into 4 pieces, then two pieces represent the
same amount of pie that 1/2 did. We say that 1/2 is equivalent or equal
to 2/4 and we write
1
2
=
2
4
.
The Fundamental Law of Fractions describes the general relationship be-
tween equivalent fractions.
The Fundamental Law of Fractions
For any fraction
a
b
and any nonzero whole number c we have
a c
b c
=
a c
b c
=
a
b
.
Example 18.2
Show that the fraction
6
14
is equivalent to
9
21
.
4
Solution.
Since
6
14
=
32
72
=
3
7
and
9
21
=
33
73
=
3
7
, we nd
6
14
=
9
21
.
The following theorem shows that two fractions are equivalent if and only if
their cross-products are equal.
Theorem 18.1
a
b
=
c
d
if and only if ad = bc.
Proof.
Suppose rst that
a
b
=
c
d
. Since
a
b
=
ad
bd
and
c
d
=
bc
bd
, we must have
ad
bd
=
bc
bd
.
But this is true only when ad = bc.
Conversely, if ad = bc then
ad
bd
=
bc
bd
. By the Fundamental Law of Fractions
we have
a
b
=
ad
bd
and
c
d
=
bc
bd
. Thus,
a
b
=
c
d
.
Example 18.3
Find a value for x so that
12
42
=
x
210
.
Solution.
By the above theorem we must have 42 x = 21012. But 21012 = 6042
so that x =
4260
42
= 60.
Simplifying Fractions
When a fraction
ac
bc
is replaced with
a
b
, we say that
ac
bc
has been simplied.
We say that a fraction
a
b
is in simplest form (or lowest terms) if a and b
have no common divisor greater than 1. For example, the fraction
3
7
.
We write a fraction
a
b
in simplest form by dividing both a and b by the
GCF(a,b).
Example 18.4
Find the simplest form of each of the following fractions.
(a)
240
72
(b)
399
483
.
Solution.
(a) First, we nd GCF(240,72). Since 240 = 2
4
3 5 and 72 = 2
3
3
2
we nd
GCF(240, 72) = 2
3
3 = 24. Thus,
240
72
=
240 24
72 24
=
10
3
.
5
(b) Since 399 = 3719 and 483 = 3723 we have GCF(399, 483) = 37 = 21.
Thus,
399
483
=
399 21
483 21
=
19
23
.
Example 18.5
Simplify the fraction
54
72
.
Solution.
Since GCF(54, 72) = 18 then
54
72
=
54 18
72 18
=
3
4
Practice Problems
Problem 18.8
Show that
3
5
=
6
10
.
Problem 18.9
Use drawings of fractions strips to show that
3
4
,
6
8
, and
9
12
are equivalent.
Problem 18.10
Write each fraction in simplest form.
(a)
168
464
(b)
xy
2
xy
3
z
.
Problem 18.11
Two companies conduct surveys asking people if they favor stronger controls
on air pollution. The rst company asks 1,500 people, and the second asks
2,000 people. In the rst group, 1,200 say yes. Make up results for the second
group that would be considered equivalent.
Problem 18.12
Find four dierent fractions equivalent to
4
9
.
Problem 18.13
Fill in the missing number to make the fractions equivalent.
(a)
4
5
=
30
(b)
6
9
=
2
.
6
Problem 18.14
Rewrite the following fractions in simplest form.
(a)
84
144
(b)
208
272
Problem 18.15
Find the prime factorizations of the numerators and denominators of these
fractions and use them to express the fractions in simplest form.
(a)
96
288
(b)
2520
378
.
Problem 18.16
If a fraction is equal to
3
4
and the sum of the numerator and denominator is
84, what is the fraction?
Problem 18.17
Determine if each of the following is correct.
(a)
ab+c
b
= a + c
(b)
a+b
a+c
=
b
c
(c)
ab+ac
ac
=
b+c
c
.
Problem 18.18
If
a
b
=
c
b
. what must be true?
Problem 18.19
Solve for x.
(a)
2
3
=
x
16
(b)
3
x
=
3x
x
2
.
Problem 18.20
Rewrite as a mixed number in simplest form.
(a)
525
96
(b)
1234
432
.
Problem 18.21
I am a proper fraction. The sum of my numerator and denominator is one-
digit square. Their product is a cube. What fraction am I?
Comparing and Ordering Fractions
If we place the fractions 2/7 and 5/7 on the fraction number line we notice
that 2/7 is to the left of 5/7. This suggests the following denition.
7
We say that
a
b
is less than
c
b
, and we write
a
b
<
c
b
, if and only if a < c.
The above denition compares fractions with the same denominator. What
about fractions with unlike denominators? To compare fractions with unlike
denominators, say
a
b
and
c
d
with b = d, we compare the fractions
ad
bd
and
bc
bd
since
a
b
=
ad
bd
and
c
d
=
bc
bd
. By the above denition, it follows that
a
b
<
c
d
if and
only if ad < bc. This establishes a proof of the following theorem.
Theorem 18.2
If a, b, c, d are whole numbers with b = 0, d = 0 then
a
b
<
c
d
if and only if
ad < bc.
Example 18.6
Compare the fractions
7
8
and
9
11
.
Solution.
Since 7 11 > 8 9 we have
9
11
<
7
8
.
We conclude this section with the following question: Given two fractions
a
b
and
c
d
. Is there a fraction between these two fractions?
The answer is armative according to the following theorem.
Theorem 18.3 (Density Property)
If
a
b
<
c
d
then
a
b
<
a+c
b+d
<
c
d
.
Proof.
Since
a
b
<
c
d
, by Theorem 18.2 we have ad < bc. Add cd to both sides to
obtain ad + cd < bc + cd. That is, (a + c)d < (b + d)c or
a+c
b+d
<
c
d
.
Similarly, if we add ab to both sides of ad < bc we nd ad + ab < bc + ab or
a(b + d) < b(a + c). Thus,
a
b
<
a+c
b+d
.
Example 18.7
Find a fraction between the fractions
9
13
and
12
17
.
Solution.
Since 9 17 < 12 13 we have
9
13
<
12
17
. By the previous theorem we have
9
13
<
9 + 12
13 + 17
<
12
17
or
9
13
<
21
30
<
12
17
.
8
Practice Problems
Problem 18.22
Show that
(a)
1
3
<
2
3
(b)
5
8
>
3
8
.
Problem 18.23
Compare the pairs of fractions.
(a)
7
8
and
3
4
(b)
4
9
and
7
15
.
Problem 18.24
You have two dierent recipes for making orange juice from concentrate. The
rst says to mix 2 cups of concentrate with 6 cups of water. The second says
to mix 3 cups of concentrate with 8 cups of water. Which recipe will have a
stronger orange avor?
Problem 18.25
A third grader says that
1
4
is less than
1
5
because 4 is less than 5. What would
you tell the child?
Problem 18.26
Find a fraction between
3
4
and
7
8
.
Problem 18.27
Order the following fractions from least to greatest.
(a)
2
3
and
7
12
.
(b)
2
3
,
5
6
,
29
36
, and
8
9
.
Problem 18.28
Compare 2
4
5
and 2
3
6
.
Problem 18.29
If
a
b
< 1, compare the fractions
c
d
and
ac
bd
.
Problem 18.30
Find a fraction between
5
6
and
83
100
.
9