Simplifying Fractions

Fraction s

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Jimmy had a pie. Yummy, yummy!

The number that I would use to represent the pie is the number 1.

Jimmy cut the pie into two, equal pieces.

To represent the whole pie, I can still use the number 1. I can also say that I have all 2 pieces of the 2 pieces . As a fraction, that would look like 2/2 .

If Jimmy eats one piece of this pie, I would say he ate 1/2 of the pie. Of the two pieces, he

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In a fraction, the number on top is the numerator. The number on bottom is the denominator.

1 2

numerat or denominator

For this pie, Jimmy decided to cut it into four, equal pieces. Notice that it is still one whole pie, butpieces it takes Here it takes four to create one whole pie. The fraction that I would use to4/4 represent the whole pie would

If Jimmy eats one piece of this pie, I would write the 1/4 fraction as If Jimmy eats two pieces, I would write the fraction as 2/4 ______

1/2 of the 2/4 of the pie the fractions. Notice pie the amount of Notice pie eaten. We can see that 1/2 is equal to 2/4. If I multiply the numerator and denominator of 1/2 by 2, then I would get the equivalent fraction of 2/4.

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1/2

=

2/4

1/2 and 2/4 are equivalent fractions.

How many pieces is this pie divided into? 8 Write a fraction to represent the whole pie. 8/8 Write a fraction to represent 1/2 of the pie. 4/8

Unless told to do differently, you should always write your fraction in the simplest form. So if Jimmy ate 4 of the 8 pieces, you could write 4/8, but that would not be in the

1/2 The correct answer would be ________.

To reduce a fraction to its simplest form, simply divide the numerator and the denominator by the same number.

4 8

÷ 4 = 1 ÷ 4 = 2

Reduce: 15/20 4/12 18/45

Homework:

pg. 153, 1-24