Numeracy

______________

Application of Number

L2
Workbook 5
Fractions

N2/L2.1
N2/L2.3
N2/L2.4
 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.1

Comparing fractions

Sometimes it is easy. You all know that a half is bigger than a quarter.
2 7
But do you know which is larger - or ?
3 8

Rule:

To compare dissimilar fractions you must convert them to equivalent fractions

with a common denominator.
(Remember the denominator is the bottom number on the fraction)

e.g which is larger?

1 3
a) or
2 4

2 3 1 2
becomes or [Change to ]
4 4 2 4

3
is larger
4

1 3
b) or
3 6

2 3 1 2
becomes or [Change to ]
6 6 3 6

3
is larger
6

1 1
c) or
3 2

2 3 1 2 1 3
becomes or [Change to : to ]
6 6 3 6 2 6

3
=
6

1
is larger
2

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

NB: The denominator must be the same before you can compare.

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.1

Exercise 1

1. Which are the larger out of these:-

7 1
a) or of a loaf of bread?
8 2

3 2
b) or of a bag of sweets?
4 3

2 3
c) or of the price of a pair of trainers?
5 10

6 1
d) or of a cinema audience?
9 3

2. In a Leisure Centre they have 160 customer every day. This table shows the
activities they do.

SQUASH SNOOKER BADMINTON FITNESS AEROBIC

ROOM

1 1 3 3 1
16 8 16 8 4

a) Was aerobics or the fitness room the more popular?

b) Was snooker or squash the more popular?
c) What do all the fractions add up to?
d) Out of the 160 customers, 100 pay the full price. What fraction is this?

3. Make these improper fractions into mixed numbers:

3 19 21 15 7
a) b) c) d) e)
2 4 5 4 3

13 17 17 19 13
f) g) h) i) j)
2 4 5 8 5

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.1

4. Make these mixed fractions into improper fractions:

1 3 2 3 3
a) 3 b) 3 c) 2 d) 4 e) 2
2 4 3 4 5

1 4 1 1 1
f) 9 g) 7 h) 12 i) 8 j) 7
3 5 2 5 4

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

1 9 7 3 9 7
e.g. 1 becomes
2 4 8 2 4 8

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

12 18 7
i.e.
8 8 8

Largest to smallest is :

9 18  1 12  7
1
4  8  2  8  8

5. Put the following fractions in order from the largest to the smallest.

1 11 7 12 3 16
a) 2 b) 2
4 4 4 5 5 5

40 31 3 1 9 11
c) 4 d) 3
8 8 8 3 4 3

3 15 1 17 5 19
e) 4 4 f) 5
8 4 2 3 6 6

3 1 17
g) 5 5
5 3 3

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.1

Simplest form

Exercise 2

1. Complete this table

1 = 2 = 4
2 4 8
a) = 2 = 4
3 12
b) = 4 = 1
10 20
c) 4 = = 2
16 4
d) 6 = 1 =
12 6
e) 6 = 12 =
18 3

You reduce a fraction to its simplest form by dividing the top and bottom by the same
number.

15 3
e.g. = [Divide numerator and denominator by 5]
20 4

12 3
= [Divide by 4]
16 4

2. Simplify the following:

8 9 30 7 3 20
a) b) c) d) e) f)
16 15 50 21 18 100

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.3
NB: Some numbers will not cancel down.

3 7 17
e.g
8 15 31

Evaluate one number as a fraction of another

Rule

The line in a fraction means ‘out of’

3
3 days out of 7 =
7

20 1
20 minutes out of 1 hour = 60 =
3
(The units must be the same so the hour becomes 60 minutes)

e.g. What fraction of 1km is 650 metres

first change 1km to 1000 metres

[same units]

13
650 650 13
then = =
1000 1000 20
20

e.g What fraction of 1 day is 6 hours?

Change 1 day to 24 hours [i.e. What fraction of 24 hours is 6

hours]
[same units]

6 1
then =
24 4

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.3

3. Change the following into fractions of £1:

a) 50p? b) 75p?
c) 60p? d) 85p?

4. Change the following into fractions of 1 hour:

a) 30 mins? b) 10 mins?

c) 45 mins? d) 5 mins?

5. In an old people’s home a doctor sees 70 of its 100 residents on a daily basis.
What fraction is this?

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.4

Adding and Subtracting Fractions

Rule

3 1 4
+ = (you only add the top row)
6 6 6

3 2 1
- = (you only subtract the top row)
8 8 8

If you say the problem out loud it is easy to remember what to do.

“three eights minus two eighths is one eighth”

exactly like

“three elephants minus two elephants is one elephant”

Exercise 3

1. Always give your answer in the most sensible form i.e. as a mixed fraction; the
simplest form.

4 3
a) + =
5 5

2 4
b) + =
7 7

3 1
c) + =
8 8

2 4
d) 1 + =
3 3

1 5
e) 7 +1 =
8 8

3 4
f) 5 +3 =
5 5

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.4

Before you can add or subtract fractions the bottom number (denominator) must be the
same.

5 1
e.g. + =
8 2

5 4 9 1
becomes + = =1
8 8 8 8

5 3
e.g. - =
6 4

10 9 1
becomes - =
12 12 12

2. Try these

1 2
a) + =
2 3

4 1
b) + =
5 2

5 2
c) + =
6 3

1 1
d) + =
6 4

2 4
e) + =
3 5

4 2
f) + =
7 3

7 1
g) - =
8 4

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.4

3 1
h) - =
4 8

1 1
i) - =
2 6

4 1
j) - =
5 3

6 2
k) - =
7 3

7 4
l) - =
8 5

Here are some problems in which you need to use addition and subtraction.

1 1
3. At a pop concert, of the audience were under 12, were over 30.
12 4
What fraction were between 12 and 30 years old?
1 3
(hint, change into then add. Subtract your answer from 1)
4 12

4. Students at a college travel there in different ways.

1 1 3
drive their own car, drive their parent’s car and walk. The rest come by
8 8 8
bus.

What fraction come by bus?

1
5. An airline has a baggage allowance of 66 pounds. If your case weighs 58
2
pounds, what weight in presents can you bring home?

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.4

With mixed fractions you simply add the whole numbers for addition.

1 1
e.g. 2 + 3
4 8

2 1 3
becomes 2 + 3 = 5
8 8 8

6. Try these:

1 3
a) 4 +1 =
4 8

1 1
b) 2 +1 =
6 2

1 1
c) 7 + 6 =
4 3

4 2
d) 2 +1 =
5 3

For subtaction you may need to convert to an improper fraction.

1 1
e.g. 3 - 2 =
8 4

1 2
becomes 3 - 2 =
8 8

2 1
As you cannot subtract from you need to convert to borrow from the whole
8 8
number.

9 2 7
This then becomes 2 - 2 =
8 8 8

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.4

Another example

1 1
4 - 3
4 2

1 2
becomes 4 - 3
4 4

5 2
3 - 3 [borrow 1 whole number]
4 4

3
=
4

7. Try these

1 3
a) 2 - 1
4 4

1 3
b) 4 - 2
2 4

1 2
c) 3 - 2
6 3

1 7
d) 5 - 4
4 8

1 1
8. Abdul worked 3 hours on Monday and 7 hours on Wednesday. How many
2 4
hours did he work altogether?

1 3
9. Ruby normally worked 17 hours per week but left 1 hours early last
2 4
Wednesday. How many hours did she work?

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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 basic & keySKILLBUILDER
Number
Fractions

N2/L2.4

10. Tim filled in his time sheet as follows:

Monday 7 hrs 30 mins

Tuesday 6 hrs 40 mins

Wednesday 7 hrs 10 mins

Fill in the last column to show the mixed fraction. How many hours did he claim in total (as a
mixed fraction).

Workbook 5 Level 2 Numeracy/Application of Number  West Nottinghamshire College 2004

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