Question

What is a vulgar fraction ?

Answer 1

A vulgar fraction, common fraction or fraction is a fraction written in the usual way which is one number (integer) above another (integer) separated by a line. Examples of vulgar fraction are: 1/2, 5/11, 200/100. Mathematically a vulgar fraction is a part of unity or several equal parts of unity. The number which indicates how many parts a unit is divided into is called the denominator of the fraction; the number indicating how many parts are taken is the numerator of the fraction. In the examples given above, 1, 5, 200 are numerators and 2, 11, 100 are the denominators. If the numerator is less than the denominator, the fraction is less than unity and is called a proper fraction. Here, 1/2 and 5/11 are proper fractions. If the numerator is equal to the denominator, the fraction is equal to unity, 7/7 for instance. If the numerator is greater than the denominator, the fraction exceeds unity,e.g. 200/100. In these latter two cases, the fraction is called improper fraction.

Operations With Vulgar Fraction/s:

The value of a vulgar fraction is unchanged if the numerator and denominator are multiplied or divided by one and the same number. A fraction can only be reduced if the numerator and denominator have the same divisors.

If two fractions have the same numerator, the larger fraction is the one with the smaller denominator. 1/2 > 5/11.

If the denominators of the fractions are the same, the fractions may be added by adding their numerators; to subtract them, subtract the numerator of the subtrahend from the numerator of the minuend.

To multiply a fraction by a fraction, multiply the numerators together for the numerator of the product and multiply the denominator together for the denominator of the product.

To divide a number by a fraction, multiply the number by the reciprocal of the fraction.