Question 529447
SHORT INSTRUCTIONS
You can make equivalent fractions by multiplying or dividing the top and bottom numbers by the same number.
{{{7/14=1/2=3/6}}}
To add or subtract fractions you need to use equivalent fractions so that the bottom numbers are the same.
{{{5/6-1/2=5/6-3/6=2/6}}}
The simplest form of a fraction is the one with the smallest possible numbers at top and bottom.
{{{2/6=1/3}}}
FULL EXPLANATION
Fractions are ratios. If a survey of 100 people finds that 25 of them likes red wine, you could say that 25 out of a 100 people like red wine, or that
{{{25/100}}} like red wine.
You could also say that 1 of every 4 people, {{{1/4}}}
like red wine.
It is the same ratio. The fractions {{{1/4}}} and {{{25/100}}} are equivalent.
They represent the same rational number.
There are infinite equivalent ways to write each rational number.
One out of four means two out of eight, three out of 12, four out of 16, and so on
{{{1/4=2/8=3/12=4/16=5/20=6/24}}} ....
You can make equivalent fractions by multiplying or dividing the top and bottom numbers by the same number.
In the fraction {{{1/4}}}
the number 1 on top is called the numerator and 4 at the bottom is called denominator because it gives the fraction its name (1 fourth).
The simplest form to write that rational number is {{{1/4}}}
and we say that it is in simplest form, or in simplest terms.
However, it is often useful to be able to express things in different ways.
A pizza could be cut in 6 equal slices and each slice would be {{{1/6}}} of the pizza.
A 2-slice portion would be
{{{2/6=1/3}}} of the pizza.
A 3-slice portions is
{{{3/6=1/2}}} of the pizza.
The whole pizza is
{{{6/6=1/1=1}}} pizza.
When adding, or subtracting, or comparing, it makes sense to compare in terms of equivalent objects, like equivalent portions.
If 5 out of 6 slices are in the pizza box {{{(5/6)pizza}}}
and someone wants a portion that is half a pizza {{{(1/2)pizza}}}
what you have left is
{{{5/6-1/2=5/6-3/6=2/6=1/3}}}
because 3 out of 6 slices is one half {{{1/2=3/6}}}
and 2 out of 6 slices is one third {{{2/6=1/3}}}