Name: Melissa

Class: 10A

Egyptian Fractions
Investigation
For this investigation I will be a investigation Egyptian fraction. Egyptian fractions are
series of unit fractions however; the sum of the fraction can be any fraction. To create an
Egyptian fraction we will be given a given fraction and we have to find the unit fractions
that will equal to the given fraction, which will be explained further throughout the
Investigation.

Part A Searching for Patterns Criteria B

Below are sets of Egyptian fractions both correct and incorrect, the highlighted ones will
identify which ones are correct. The correct ones will be have a justification on how it
was calculated which is located beside the example.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Patterns
Looking at the examples I have noticed a pattern, the given fractions denominator is
always one less than the component fraction on the left. Which means, in order to find
the component fraction (on the left) you must add +1 to the given fractions denominator
and out it as the denominator on the component fraction on the left. The numerator of
the component fraction would still be a 1 since it has to be a unit fraction. Once the
denominator for the component fraction on the left is found, to find the denominator of
the other component fraction (on the right) we have to multiply the denominator from the
given fraction with the denominator on the component fraction on the left. Below are
some correct examples of the Egyptian fractions; I will calculate this by using my pattern.

Name: Melissa

Class: 10A

1)

2)

3)

General Rule
The general rule for all the Egyptian fractions that have the form of 1 as a numerator,
which fits the pattern, is, once that has been checked we the look at the denominator
and add one to get the given fractions denominator and out it as the denominator on the
component fraction on the left. The numerator must stay a one because it is a unit
fraction. To find the denominator of the component fraction to the right, we must multiply
the denominator from the given fraction and the component fraction to the left together.
Therefore the rule is:

Examples
Below are some examples using the rule with

3
4

3
4
3
4

1
4

3
4

1
2

1
5

3
4

1
10

1
20

1
5

1
30

1
21

1
3
1
3

1
2

1
6
1
6

1
7

1
42

1
20

1
30

1
420
1
21

1
420

I first started dividing the fractions into two unit fractions (making it into a Egyptian
Fraction) and that to all the fractions which led me into getting six different fractions and
as for the final thing I divided was 1/6 because it was repeated and an Egyptian fraction
is not suppose to have a repeated fraction.

Name: Melissa

Class: 10A

Task 2 (Levels 7-8 of Criteria B)

Fraction

Egyptian Representation

Looking at the table I have noticed a pattern, if the fraction is

like the one given on the

table. If the denominator for the given number is a 3 then you 1 to get the denominator
for the component fraction on the left, if the given numbers denominator is a 5 then you
-2 get the denominator for the component fraction, and if the denominator for the given
number denominator is a 7 then you 3 to get the denominator for the component
fraction on the left, this pattern then goes on.