Fraction multiplication分析和总结最新分析和总结.docxVIP

CHAPTER ONE: FRACTIONS Fraction multiplication Multiplication of fractions is the easiest of all fractions operations. All you have to do is multiply straight across —multiply the numerators (the top numbers) and the denominators (the bottom numbers). Multiplying fractions and whole numbers You can multiply fractions by whole numbers in one of two ways: The numerator of the product will be the whole num times the fraction’s numerator, and the denominator will be the fraction’s denominator. Treat the whole number as a fraction—the whole number over one—then multiply as you would any two fractions. Fraction division Fraction division is almost as easy as fraction multiplication. Invert (switch the numerator and denominator) the second fraction and the fraction division problem becomes a fraction multiplication problem. Reducing fractions When working with fractions, you are usually asked to “reduce the fraction to the lowest terms” or to “write the fraction lowest terms” or to “reduce the fraction”. These phrases mean that the numerator and denominator have no common factors. For example, 2/3 is reduced to the lowest terms but 4/6is not. Reducing fractions is like fraction multiplication in reverse. We will fist use the most basic approach to reducing fractions. In the next section, we will learn a quicker method. Fist write the numerator and denominator as a product of prime numbers. Refer to the appendix if you need to review how to find the prime factorization of a number. Next collect the primes common to both the numerator and denominator (if any) at beginning of each fraction. Split each fraction into two fractions, the ?rst with the common primes. Now the fraction is in t he form of “1” times another fraction. Fortunately there is a less tedious method for reducing fractions to their lowest terms. Find the largest number that divides both the numerator and the denominator. This number is called the greatest common divisor (GCD). Factor the GCD from the numerato