Numeracy

______________

Application of Number

Workbook 5
L1 Fractions

N2/L1.1
N2/L1.2
 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.1

Equivalent fractions

1
of the bar of chocolate is shaded.
2

1
of the bar of chocolate is shaded.
4

2 * of the bar of chocolate is shaded. (* read this as two-

4
quarters)

1 2
Can you see that is the same as ?
2 4

You can produce equivalent fractions like this by multiplying both the top and the bottom
of the fraction by the same number.

1 2 2
=
2 2 4

1 3 3
=
2 3 6

1 5 5
=
2 5 10

2 3 6
=
3 3 9

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.1

Now try these

Exercise 1

3 2
1. =
4 2

1 4
2. =
2 4

3 5
3. =
4 5

1 8
4. =
10 8

3 2
5. =
8 2

Exercise 2

1 2
You know that is the same as (top and bottom both multiplied by 2)
2 4

1. Now try these:

1 2
a) =
3

1
b) =
4 8

1 2
c) =
10

4
d) =
3 12

1
e) =
6 12

1 3
f) =
8

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.1

Comparing fractions

Before you can compare fractions the bottom number (denominator) must be the
same.

e.g. Which is smaller?

5 1
or
8 2

This becomes
5 4 1 4
8
or
8
(because 2
is eqivalent to
8
)

4 5
is smaller than
8 8
1
therefore is smaller.
2

2. Which is smaller? 3. Which is the largest?

1 3 1 7 3
a) or a)
4 8 3 8 4

2 6 1 1 1
b) or b)
5 10 3 6 8

5 3 1 1 2
c) or c)
8 4 16 9 8

4. Put the following fractions in order beginning with the smallest

1 3 2
a)
2 4 3

2 3 1
b)
3 4 3

1 2 1
c)
4 3 5

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.1

Mixed numbers/improper fractions

1
A mixed number / fraction is a whole number and a fraction e.g. 1
5

5 6 5 1
As 1 = this mixed number can be written as i.e. +
5 5 5 5

This is called an improper fraction.

5. Try to make these mixed numbers into improper fractions:

1 1 3
a) 1 b) 1 c) 1
2 5 8

1 3 1
d) 1 e) 1 f) 1
3 4 6

6. Now convert these improper fractions to mixed numbers:

7 5 9
a) b) c)
4 3 5

7 5 5
d) e) f)
5 4 2

11
Lets look at
4

Remember, the number at the bottom tells you how many parts there should be in
the whole number.

11 3
In there are 2 whole numbers and three parts left over i.e.
4 4

11 3
= 2
4 4

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.1

7. Try these

Improper fraction Mixed number

8 2
e.g. 2
3 3
9
4
11
5
11
3
13 1
e.g. 3
4 4
1
2
2
1
2
3
1
5
3

Before you can compare mixed fractions and improper fractions you must convert them
to the same type of fraction.

1 3 7
e.g. 1
4 2 4

5 3 7
becomes
4 2 4

You then convert these fractions to equivalent fractions with the same denominator
[number at the bottom].

5 6 7
e.g.
4 4 4

Largest to the smallest is

7 3 6 1 5
1
4 2 4 4 4

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.1

8. Put the following in order beginning with the largest

2 9 4
a) 1
5 5 5

1 5 11
b) 1 1
4 8 8

2 3 7
c) 2 2
3 6 3

1 2 7
d) 2 1
6 3 3

3 9 1
e) 1 1
8 8 4

2 3 5
f)
3 4 6

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.2

Fractional parts

Rule

The bottom number tells you what to divide by.

1
Want to know what is? Divide by 2.
2
1 1
For , divide by 4, for a divide by 3 and so on.
4 3

Exercise 3

1. What would you divide by to get

1 1 1
a) b) c) 10,000,000
9 6

1 90
Lets find fractions of numbers, e.g., of 90 = 45 because = 45.
2 2

1
2. of a) 24 b) 36 c) 75 d) 113 e) 92 f) 15
2

1
3. of a) 8 b) 48 c) 25 d) 69 e) 24 f) 26
4

1
4. of a) 18 b) 33 c) 96 d) 10 e) 9 f) 924
3

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.2

1 1
In the next few questions you are asked to describe numbers as , more than
2 2
1 1
or less than . Start by working out what of the number is, then you can judge if
2 2
the number you are given is less than that, or more than that. Circle the correct answer.

(more than) (less than)

1
5. 50 is
2
> 21 < 21 of 100

1
6. 62 is
2
> 21 < 21 of 92

1
7. 11 is
2
> 21 < 21 of 23

1
8. 3.5 is
2
> 21 < 21 of 6

1
9. 6.5 is
2
> 21 < 21 of 13

1
10. 1000 is
2
> 21 < 21 of 1362

1
Check your answers. Are you happy about finding ?
2
1
Now lets look at .
4

HINT

The easiest and quickest way to work out a quarter is to halve and halve again, but you
can also divide by 4.

1
To find of 56:
4
1
of 56 is 28
2

1 56
of 28 is 14 so = 14
2 4

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.2

1 1 3
If you want to see if a number is nearest to , , , you need to work in stages.
4 2 4

e.g. What fraction is 26 of 104?

1
a) Find of 104, which is 52
2

1 1
b) Find of 104, which is 26 so 26 is of 104
4 4
Try these:-

11. What fraction is 13 of 26?

12. What fraction is 15 of 60?

13. What fraction is 90 of 360?

14. What fraction is 6 of 12?

15. What fraction is 9 of 18?

16. What fraction is 2.5 of 5?

17. What fraction is 1.25 of 5?

18. What fraction is 500 of 2000?

19. What fraction is 50 of 200?

20. What fraction is 10 of 20?

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.2
3
Now lets look at .
4

1 3
If the number is quite a bit more than , then you can describe it as about .
2 4

3 1 1
To give a number that is about of 40, remember that 20 is , 10 is ,
4 2 4
3
so any number around 30 is about (20 + 10 = 30).
4

1 1 3
21. If 17 is of 34, and 8.5 is a , what is about of 34?
2 4 4

3 1 1
22. Give a number that is about of 13. ( is 6.5, is 3.25)
4 2 4

3
23. Give a number that is about of 20
4

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions
N2/L1.2

In a fraction the bottom number is the denominator. This is the number that you divide
by to find one part

1
e.g to find , divide by 5. 1
5
4 Denominator
In a fraction the top number is the numerator.

This shows how many parts.

2
e.g to find , divide by 5, muliply by 2
5 3 Numerator
2 20 4
of 20 = x2=8
5 5
4
to find , divide by 5, mulitply by 4
5
4 30
of 30 = x 4 = 24
5 5

2 1
24. What is of 15? 30. What is of 30?
5 3

4 2
25. What is of 15? 31. What is of 30?
5 3

3 1
26. What is of 50? 32. What is of 99?
5 3

2 2
27. What is of 50? 33. What is of 99?
5 3

3 1
28. What is of 40? 34. What is of 27?
8 3

5 2
29. What is of 40? 35. What is of 27?
8 3

Workbook 5 Level 1 Numeracy/Application of Number West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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