SOLVING PROBLEMS RELATED TO

INDUSTRIAL DRAFTING
Common Fractions and Mixed
Numbers
 OBJECTIVES
• Understand the concept of a fraction and
what it represents, and recognize the 3 types
of fractions – proper fractions, improper
fractions, and mixed numbers
• Be able to express fractions in lowest terms
• Be able to express fractions as equivalent
fractions
• Express mixed numbers as improper fractions,
and improper fractions as mixed numbers
 DEFINITION
A fraction is a way of expressing the number of
equal parts of a whole unit.
We indicate a fraction using two numbers
𝑥
separated by a bar ( ) or a slash (𝑥Τ𝑦).
𝑦

We will use line segment AB below as an

example.

A B
 DEFINITION
The entire line segment can be thought of as
being one equal part taken of one unit.
1
We indicate this using the fraction or 1Τ1. In
1
normal usage, this is simplified just “1”.

A B
 DEFINITION
1
The fraction indicates that we are considering
1
one part of one equal parts.
Since we are considering all of the parts, this
means we are still looking at the entire original
unit.

A B
 DEFINITION
This would be equally true if we were
considering 2 of 2 parts.
…or 3 of 3 parts.
…or 4 of 4 parts.
…etc.
Therefore 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, etc. are all equivalent
ways to express the entire line segment.

A B
 DEFINITION
Now let’s go back to breaking the line segment
into 2 equal parts. Each part is half of the size of
the original. In this case, the original is a line, so
the two parts are each half the length of the
original line.
As we saw previously, we now have a new way
of indicating the entire line segment. We can call
it 1/1, or we could call it 2/2, meaning 2 equal
parts of the whole.

A B
 DEFINITION
A fraction is made up of 2 numbers separated by a
line or bar.
• The denominator, which tells us how many equal
parts the unit, object or item is broken up into.
This number is written below the bar.
• The numerator, which tells us how many of these
equal parts we are considering. This number is
written above the bar.
• The numerator and denominator are called the
terms of the fraction.
A B
 Types of Fractions
• Common fraction – consists of 2 whole numbers.
• Proper fraction – a fraction where the numerator
is smaller than the denominator.
• Improper fraction – a fraction where the
numerator is larger than the denominator.
• Mixed Number – consists of a whole number
with a fraction.
• Complex fraction – Either the numerator or the
denominator or both are fractions themselves.

A B
 Equivalent Fractions
• The numerator and denominator of a fraction can
be multiplied or divide by the same number
without changing the value.
For example:
1 1X4 4
= =
2 2X4 8
Both the numerator and denominator are
multiplied by 4.
1 4
Because and have the same value, we call them
2 8
equivalent fractions.
 Equivalent Fractions
For example:
8 8 ÷ 4 2
= =
12 12 ÷ 4 3
Both the numerator and denominator are
divided by 4.
8 2
Because and have the same value, they are
12 3
equivalent.
 Lowest Terms
We say a fraction is in its lowest terms when the
numerator and denominator do not share any
factors.
Factors are the numbers that we multiply
together to produce a number.
A common factor is a number which both the
numerator and denominator can be divided by.
We say we reduce a fraction to it’s lowest terms.
 Reducing a Fraction
To reduce a fraction to lowest terms, we divide
both the numerator and the denominator by the
greatest common factor (GCF).
We do not need to know the GCF to do this, we
can simply successively divide both parts of the
fraction by any common factors.
When we are finished, we can multiply all of the
factors we removed together.
The product will be the GCF.
 Reducing a Fraction
Example:
12
Reduce to lowest terms.
42
 Equivalent Fractions
Sometimes, we will want to express a fraction as
a fraction with a denominator that is larger than
the current denominator.
To do this, we divide the desired denominator
by the current denominator…
And then multiply the numerator and
denominator of the current fraction by this
result.
 Equivalent Fractions
Example:
3
Express as an equivalent fraction
4
with 12 as the denominator.
 Equivalent Fractions
It will be useful later on to be able to express a
1
mixed fraction (Eg. 4 ) as an improper fraction.
2
Start by multiplying the whole number part by
the denominator…
Add this value to the numerator.
Remove the whole number part.
 Equivalent Fractions
Example:
1
4 as an improper fraction.
2
 Equivalent Fractions
Example:
3
12 as an improper fraction.
16
 Equivalent Fractions
Also, we often want to express an improper
fraction as a mixed fraction.
Divide the numerator by the denominator.
The whole part of the result is the whole
number of your mixed fraction.
The remainder is left as the fractional part of the
mixed fraction.
 Equivalent Fractions
Example:
11
as a mixed fraction.
4
 Equivalent Fractions
Example:
43
as a mixed fraction.
3
 Equivalent Fractions
Example:
931
as a mixed fraction.
8
 Exercises
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