1. What Is a Fraction?

A fraction represents a part of a whole or, more generally, any number of equal parts. In mathematics, it's expressed as one integer (numerator) divided by another (denominator), separated by a fraction bar.

2. Parts of a Fraction

Where:

• Numerator (a) - The top number, indicates how many parts are being considered
• Denominator (b) - The bottom number, indicates how many equal parts the whole is divided into
• Fraction bar - The line separating numerator and denominator

3. Types of Fractions

Proper fractions: Numerator is less than denominator (e.g., 1/2)
Improper fractions: Numerator is greater than denominator (e.g., 5/3)
Mixed numbers: Combination of whole number and fraction (e.g., 1 1/2)
Equivalent fractions: Different fractions representing same value (e.g., 1/2 = 2/4)

4. Fraction Operations

Addition/Subtraction: Requires common denominator
Multiplication: Multiply numerators and denominators
Division: Multiply by reciprocal of second fraction
Simplification: Reduce to lowest terms by dividing numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What happens if denominator is zero?
A: Division by zero is undefined in mathematics. The fraction becomes undefined.

Q2: How to convert fraction to decimal?
A: Divide numerator by denominator (e.g., 1/4 = 0.25).

Q3: What's the difference between fraction and ratio?
A: Fractions represent parts of a whole, while ratios compare quantities.

Q4: How to simplify fractions?
A: Find greatest common divisor (GCD) of numerator and denominator, then divide both by GCD.

Q5: What are complex fractions?
A: Fractions where numerator, denominator, or both contain fractions themselves.