Fundamentals of Mathematics

MAT 100
Fractions
Objectives
After completing this lesson you should be able to:

Define multiples and divisibility
Analyze factorizations
Simplifying and test for equality
Define fractions and fraction notation
Simplify when multiplying
Multiply fraction
Divide fractions


Multiples
A multiple of a number is a product of that
number and an integer.
Examples: some multiple of 2
2 = 1 2
4 = 2 2
6 = 3 2
8 = 4 2
1 = 5 2

Divisibility
Divisibility is when a number b is said to be
divisible by another number a if b is a multiple
of a.
Examples:
6 is divisible by 2 because 6 is a multiple of 2.
27 is divisible by 3 because 27 is a multiple of 3.
100 is divisible by 25 because 100 is a multiple of 25.


Divisibility
(continued)
98 4
24
8__
18
16
2
Not 0
Since the remainder is not 0
we know that 98 is not
divisible by 4.
8
24
0
24 3
No
remainder
Since the remainder is 0
we know that 24 is
divisible by 3.
Factorizations
A number c is a factor of a if a is divisible
by c.
A factorization of a expresses a as a
product of two or more numbers.
Examples
12 = 4 3 ( 4 and 3 are the factors of 12. )
12 = 12 1 ( 12 and 1 are the factors of 12. )
12 = 6 2 ( 6 and 2 are the factors of 12. )
12 = 2 3 2 ( 2 and 3 are the factors of 12. )


Factorizations
(continued)
Find all the factors of 24:
Factorizations: 1 24; 2 12; 3 8; 4 6
Factors: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24

Prime
A natural number that has exactly two different
factors is called a prime number.
The number 1 not prime
A natural number, other than 1, that is not prime is
composite
Examples: 2 is prime because 2 has only two factors 1 and 2
5 is prime because 5 has only two factors 1 and 5
6 is not a prime number because 6 has more than
two factors, namely, 1, 2, and 3,

Prime Factorizations
Prime factorization is to express a composite
number as a product of primes.
Example: Find the prime factorization of 76.
76 2 = 38
38 2 = 19

76 = 2 2 19

Fractions and Fraction Notation
2
1
Numerator
Denominator
Multiplication of Fractions
To multiply a fraction by an integer
1. Multiply the top number (the numerator) by the integer.
2. Keep the same denominator.
To multiply a fraction by a fraction
1. Multiply the numerators
2. Multiply the denominators
Multiplication of Fractions
(continued)
8
15

8
3 5

8
3
5 =

=
24
35

4 6
7 5
4
7

6
5
=

=
Simplifying
6 3
6 2
18
12

=
fraction the Factoring
6
6
3
2
- =
Factoring the numerator
Factoring the denominator

1
6
6

Since 1
3
2
=
- =
3
2
1
3
2
: 1 factor the Removing
3
2
= -
=
A Test For Equality
To test for equality of two fractions, we find the cross
products of two fraction.
Example:
6
10
=
3
5
?
6
10
=
3
5
Because 6 5 = 10 3 , we can conclude that these
two fractions are equivalent, or one is the reduced
form of the other.
Simplifying When Multiplying
We usually want a simplified answer when we multiply.
To make such simplifying easier, it is generally best not to
calculate the products in the numerator and the
denominator until we have first factored and simplified.

To multiply and then simply there are four steps:
1. Write the products in the numerator and the denominator, but do
not calculate the products
2. Identify any common factors of the numerator and the denominator
3. Factor the fraction to remove any factors that equal one
4. And calculate the remaining products

Simplifying When Multiplying
(continued)
5
6

14
15
=
5
6
14
15
=
5
2 3
2 7
3 5
=
2 5
2 5
7
3 3
Factoring and
identifying common
factors


Factoring the
fraction
=
7
3 3
1
=
7
9
Removing a factor
equal to 1
Reciprocals
3
4

4
3
Three-fourths is the reciprocal of four-thirds.
Division of Fractions
2
3
6
5
3
2
6
5
- =
Flip fraction around
Flipped fraction
4
5
12
15
=
Simplified answer
Solving Equations: The
Multiplication Principle
Multiply each side by 4
over 3
Simplify when
multiplying
20
20 1
3
15 4
4
3
3
4
15
3
4
4
3
3
4
15
4
3
=
=

=
|
.
|

\
|

=
=
x
x
x
x
x
=
4 3 5
3
Application of Equations
At Sunshine Herbs, Sue needs to fill as
many tea bags as possible with three-
fifths gram of chamomile. If she begins
with 51 grams of chamomile, how many
tea bags can she fill?

Application of Equations
(continued)
For problem-solving situation involving equation,
we follow five steps:
1. Familiarize the problem
2. Translate the problem into an equation
3. Solve the equation
4. Check the answer
5. State the answer in words
Application of Equations
(continued)
85
=
x 51
3
5
5
3
3
5
=
x
51
5
3
=
n
1. Define the variable.
Let n = the number of tea bags that can be filled
2. Translate:
3. Solve the equation:
4. Check the answer by substitution:
85
3
5
= 51
5. State the answer. Sue can fill 85 tea bags with 51 g of chamomile.
Summary
Multiples and Divisibility
Factorizations
Fractions and Fraction Notation
Simplifying and Test for Equality
Multiplication of Fractions
Simplifying When Multiplying
Division of Fractions