Simplifying Fractions:

5/10  to simplify a fraction you have to find a number that will divide into both the numerator (top number) and the denominator (bottom number) with no remainder.

5 and 10 can both be divided by 5.

5 / 5 = 1               Remember to keep the numbers in the same spots
10 / 5 = 2

The simplified fraction of 5/10 would be 1/2.

Simplifying Improper Fractions:

An improper fraction has a numerator (top number) that is larger than the denominator (bottom number).

22/4

To simplify an improper fraction you divide the denominator into the numerator.

22 divided by 4  is 5 with a remainder of 2.
The 5 represents the whole number in the fraction. The 2 represents the remaining fraction part.

5 2/4 would be the proper form of this fraction.

Equivalent Fractions:

When finding an equivalent fraction you have to multiply the numerator and the denominator by the same number.

2/4       2 x 3 = 6     An equivalent fraction for 2/4 is 6/12
           4 x 3 = 12

Students may multiply the fraction by any number they choose to get an equivalent fraction. (As long as they multiply both the numerator and denominator)

Fractions to Decimals:

Students will only be seeing two types of fractions that they will need to convert to a decimal. These fractions will either have 10 or 100 as the denominator (bottom number).

20/100  Think of this a change, 20 cent out of a possible 100 cent which is 1 dollar. This fraction would be written the same was 20 cent is represented in money.

20/100 = .20

5/10
In order to put this fraction in decimal form you have to multiply the denominator (bottom number) by something to get 100. In fractions what ever you do to one part of the fraction you have to do to the other. So you would multiply the numerator (top number) by the same as the denominator.

5 X 10 = 50        This fraction could also be written as 50/100
10 X 10 = 100     This means that 5/10 = .50

Fractions and Decimals to Percents:

If the problem is already in decimal for all you have to do is drop the decimal and add a percent sign after it.

.27 = 27%

If the problem is in fraction form you have two choices depending on your students understanding. First you may make the fraction it into a decimal and then change to a percent. Or just get the denominator (bottom number) of the fraction to equal 100 and the numerator will represent the percent.

1) 13/50    13 x 2 = 26      = 26/100     = .26    = 26 %
               50 x 2 = 100

2) 12/20   12 x 5 = 60   = 60/100  =   60%
              20 x 5 = 100