Math Help Forum

Math Help Forum Feed Site Feed

Go Back   Math Help Forum > Pre-University Math Help > Pre-Algebra and Algebra
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old September 11th, 2009, 07:33 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bristol, England
Posts: 322
Country:
Thanks: 181
Thanked 65 Times in 22 Posts
andyboy179 will become famous soon enough
Default fraction hard!

hi, i need to know what this is

fraction-hard-untitled.jpg

i know i need to change tham to a top heavey fraction but i don't know how to do it, please could you show me what to do with workings out!!

Last edited by andyboy179; September 11th, 2009 at 07:45 AM.
Reply With Quote
Advertisement
 
  #2  
Old September 11th, 2009, 07:42 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 46
Thanks: 3
Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts
Finley is on a distinguished road
Default

The question isn't very clear in my opinion. Can you make it neater? :O
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old September 11th, 2009, 07:43 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bristol, England
Posts: 322
Country:
Thanks: 181
Thanked 65 Times in 22 Posts
andyboy179 will become famous soon enough
Default

sorry i just saw that, it was ok while i was writing it, sorry again
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old September 11th, 2009, 07:54 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 46
Thanks: 3
Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts
Finley is on a distinguished road
Default

Yes, it would be wise to convert these "mixed fractions" to "top heavy fractions" or "proper fractions" as they're otherwise called!

To do this, multiply the number in front of the fraction by the denominator and then add the numerator.

eg: 4\frac{3}{2}
Step 1: Multiply the number in front by the denominator (The number on the bottom of the fraction which happens to equal 2 in this example):
4*2=8
Step 2: Add this number to the numerator of the fraction (The number on the top which happens to be 3 in this example):
8+3=11
Step 3: Place this new number (11) over the original denominator (number at the bottom) which is 2:
\frac{11}{2}

Voila! There is a mixed fraction converted to a "top heavy fraction"

Try doing the question yourself following these steps! Otherwise, I'm happy to help further
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:02 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bristol, England
Posts: 322
Country:
Thanks: 181
Thanked 65 Times in 22 Posts
andyboy179 will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Finley View Post
Yes, it would be wise to convert these "mixed fractions" to "top heavy fractions" or "proper fractions" as they're otherwise called!

To do this, multiply the number in front of the fraction by the denominator and then add the numerator.

eg: 4\frac{3}{2}
Step 1: Multiply the number in front by the denominator (The number on the bottom of the fraction which happens to equal 2 in this example):
4*2=8
Step 2: Add this number to the numerator of the fraction (The number on the top which happens to be 3 in this example):
8+3=11
Step 3: Place this new number (11) over the original denominator (number at the bottom) which is 2:
\frac{11}{2}

Voila! There is a mixed fraction converted to a "top heavy fraction"

Try doing the question yourself following these steps! Otherwise, I'm happy to help further

thanks alot for that!
so would mine be:
\frac{22}{7} - \frac{11}{5} ?

if so would the answer be:
\frac{11}{2}
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:05 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 46
Thanks: 3
Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts
Finley is on a distinguished road
Default

My post was merely an example, the answer didn't apply to your question!!

However, the first part of your answer is entirely correct!
\frac{22}{7} - \frac{11}{5}

However, we need to go a few steps further to get the final answer!!

Firstly, can you subtract two fractions that don't have a common denominator?
Reply With Quote
The following users thank Finley for this useful post:
Donate to MHF
  #7  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:08 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bristol, England
Posts: 322
Country:
Thanks: 181
Thanked 65 Times in 22 Posts
andyboy179 will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Finley View Post
My post was merely an example, the answer didn't apply to your question!!

However, the first part of your answer is entirely correct!
\frac{22}{7} - \frac{11}{5}

However, we need to go a few steps further to get the final answer!!

Firstly, can you subtract two fractions that don't have a common denominator?

would it be \frac{11}{2} ????

if not, how do i get the answer?
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:17 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 46
Thanks: 3
Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts
Finley is on a distinguished road
Default

No, the answer is not \frac{11}{2}

To simplify we need to find the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR of the two fractions. In other words, we need the two BOTTOM NUMBERS of the fractions to be THE SAME.

The easiest way to find a COMMON DENOMINATOR is to multiply the two DENOMINATORS (bottom numbers) together:

Aka. 7*5=CD
Therefore Common Denominator = 35

Therefore,
\frac{110}{35}-\frac{77}{35}

What I've done is place the original numerators (22 and 11) over the COMMON DENOMINATOR. What we do to the bottom, we must do to the top (this keeps the ratio even).

In other words, to get from 7 (the denominator in the first fraction)) to 35 we needed to multiply it by 5! To get from 5 (the denominator in the second fraction) to 35 we needed to multiply it by 7!

What we do to the bottom, we do to the top!!

Keeping it short,
22*5 = 110 (New numerator for first fraction)
11*7 = 77

Now to simplify \frac{110}{35}-\frac{77}{35}!

Deal with the numerators only:
110-77 = 33

Place the new numerator over the common denominator (35):
33/35

33/35 Can't be simplified any further, hence this is the answer!

Answer: \frac{33}{35}
Reply With Quote
The following users thank Finley for this useful post:
Donate to MHF
  #9  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:19 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bristol, England
Posts: 322
Country:
Thanks: 181
Thanked 65 Times in 22 Posts
andyboy179 will become famous soon enough
Default

i just looked in my book on how to do it, i know what the answer is now!
it would be:
\frac{33}{35}
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:20 AM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bristol, England
Posts: 322
Country:
Thanks: 181
Thanked 65 Times in 22 Posts
andyboy179 will become famous soon enough
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Finley View Post
No, the answer is not \frac{11}{2}

To simplify we need to find the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR of the two fractions. In other words, we need the two BOTTOM NUMBERS of the fractions to be THE SAME.

The easiest way to find a COMMON DENOMINATOR is to multiply the two DENOMINATORS (bottom numbers) together:

Aka. 7*5=CD
Therefore Common Denominator = 35

Therefore,
\frac{110}{35}-\frac{77}{35}

What I've done is place the original numerators (22 and 11) over the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR. What we do to the bottom, we must do to the top (this keeps the ratio even).

In other words, to get from 7 (the denominator in the first fraction)) to 35 we needed to multiply it by 5! To get from 5 (the denominator in the second fraction) to 35 we needed to multiply it by 7!

What we do to the bottom, we do to the top!!

Keeping it short,
22*5 = 110 (New numerator for first fraction)
11*7 = 77

Now to simplify \frac{110}{35}-\frac{77}{35}!

Deal with the numerators only:
110-77 = 33

Place the new numerator over the new common denominator (35):
33/35

33/35 Can't be simplified any further, hence this is the answer!

Answer: \frac{33}{35}

thanks, i just posted because i must have been writing it up when u posted, thanks alot for the help
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old September 11th, 2009, 08:23 AM
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 46
Thanks: 3
Thanked 16 Times in 14 Posts
Finley is on a distinguished road
Default

No problem!! Hopefully it's beginning to make more sense Grappling the logic behind fractions will help enormously in later mathematics.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:00 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
SEO by vBSEO 3.2.0 ©2008, Crawlability, Inc.
©2005 - 2009 Math Help Forum


Math Help Forum is a community of maths forums with an emphasis on maths help in all levels of mathematics.
Register to post your math questions or just hang out and try some of our math games or visit the arcade.