simplifying fractions

Simplifying Fractions Contents How to simplify More simplifying Fractions that cannot be simplified Activity Improper fractions More improper fractions Improper fractions and cancelling down tog ether Activity Mini Test How to simplify Just look at these fractions and decide which one is the simplest 10 12 18 You probably chose, which represents a half All these other fractions can be simplified and they are the same as The way to simplify fractions is to make the top and bottom numbers smaller You can only this by finding a number that divides into them Any other method would change the value of the fraction This is sometimes called cancelling down For the top number: 4÷4=1 For the bottom number: 8÷4=2 So = over 2, which is the same as More simplifying Take a look at these fractions: 12 12 30 Now simplify the other fractions To simplify fractions you must find a number to divide both the top and the botto m number by Does divide into and exactly without a remainder? ÷ = 6÷2=3 That means that into and into So goes into exactly So goes into exactly can be simplified to because goes Fractions that cannot be simplified Take a look at these fractions: 4 11 What you notice about them? Can they be simplified? There is no number that can go into both the top number and the bottom number exactly, so these fractions cannot be simplified an y further 4 Improper fractions Take a look at these fractions: 10 2Now 3simplify the other What you notice about them? fractions These are called improper or 'top heavy' fractions More improper fractions Take a look at these fractions: 12 15 The bottom number can be divided into the top number to simplify the fraction into whole numbers, but it doesn't divide e xactly There is a remainder which should be written as a fractio n Let's have a look at the first example: When we have a denominator of we are dealing with quarters quarters equal one whole, or quarters equal two wholes, or One more quarter is quarters, and that will be and quarter left over When we have quarters that means that we have two wholes and one quarter left over, so can be simplified to read Improper fractions and cancelling down together Let's look at simplifying the following fractions: 12 15 Now simplify the other ÷ = remainder That means one half left as a remainder fractions 2 So = [...]... means that we have two wholes and one quarter left over, so can be simplified to read 2 1 4 9 4 Improper fractions and cancelling down together Let's look at simplifying the following fractions: 7 12 15 5 7 2 Now simplify the other 7 ÷ 2 = 3 remainder 1 That means one half left as a 7 1 remainder fractions 2 2 3 So = ...Contents How to simplify More simplifying Fractions that cannot be simplified Activity Improper fractions More improper fractions Improper fractions and cancelling down tog ether Activity... number: 8÷4=2 So = over 2, which is the same as More simplifying Take a look at these fractions: 12 12 30 Now simplify the other fractions To simplify fractions you must find a number to divide both... exactly, so these fractions cannot be simplified an y further 4 Improper fractions Take a look at these fractions: 10 2Now 3simplify the other What you notice about them? fractions These are