Fractions are defined in mathematics as parts of a whole. The whole could be a single object or a collection of items. Let’s suppose when we split a slice of cake from the whole thing, the chunk is the fraction of the cake. A fraction is known to be a word that comes from the Latin word “Fractus” which means “broken” in Latin. Words were used to represent fractions in ancient times. It was later introduced in the form of a number.
A fraction is also known as a portion or portion of a larger quantity. It is represented by the ‘/’ symbol, as in a/b. For instance, 3/7 is a fraction in which the upper part represents the numerator, as well as the lower part, represents the denominator.
Converting Decimals to Fractions
One of the most common arithmetic operations is converting decimals to fractions. Moreover, in an attempt to do so, readers must first master the fundamentals of division. Once you’ve mastered this, you’ll be capable of converting decimals to fractions and fractions to decimals.
Let’s know how to convert any given decimal to fractions.
Example 1: 0.3 is a decimal. Convert the given decimal into a fraction.
Solution: The first step that we need to do is to figure out the place value of the digits after the decimal point in any given question.
The decimal 0.3 can also be written as 0.30 which means that the decimal point (.) is in the tenth place
So in terms of fractions, we can represent the decimal 0.30 as 3/10. On reducing to simpler terms we get 3/10.
Example 2: 0.44 is a decimal. Convert the given decimal into a fraction.
Solution: The first step that we need to do is to figure out the place value of the digits after the decimal point in any given question.
The decimal 0.44 can also be written as 0.440 which means that the decimal point (.) is in the hundredth place.
So in terms of fractions, we can represent the decimal 0.440 as 44/100. On reducing to simpler terms we get 22/50 which can be further reduced to 11/25.
Types of Fractions
Now that we have a general understanding of what fractions are, let’s look at various kinds of fractions in mathematical concepts. We can divide fractions into different types based on the numerator and the denominator of any provided fraction.
- Proper fractions are defined as fractions in which the value of the numerator (the above part of the fraction) is less than the value of the denominator. Here’s an example to help you understand. Since 2<3, this fraction 2/3 is a proper fraction. 2/8, 6/7, 3/4 are some examples.
- Improper Fraction- Let’s define an improper function! An improper fraction is one where the numerator (the part of the fraction above) is greater than or equal to the denominator. For instance, 8/3, 9/2.
Examples from Real Life
There are several examples of fractions in everyday life, such as:
- If a pizza is divided into two equal parts, each section includes half the entire pizza.
- If we cut a melon slice into four equal sections, each section is equal to one-fourth of the total.
- If there are 5 chocolate bars and we need to give them to two children, each child’s share demonstrated as a fraction would be one-fifth of the total number of chocolate bars.
If you want to know more about fractions, you can visit the Cuemath website.
click here for more articles.
Discussion about this post