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A simple fraction (also known as a common fraction or vulgar fraction, where vulgar is Latin for "common") is a rational number written as a/b or , where a and b are both integers. [9] As with other fractions, the denominator (b) cannot be zero. Examples include 1 / 2 , − 8 / 5 , −8 / 5 , and 8 / −5
An irreducible fraction (or fraction in lowest terms, simplest form or reduced fraction) is a fraction in which the numerator and denominator are integers that have no other common divisors than 1 (and −1, when negative numbers are considered). [1]
For example, the numerators of fractions with common denominators can simply be added, such that + = and that <, since each fraction has the common denominator 12. Without computing a common denominator, it is not obvious as to what 5 12 + 11 18 {\displaystyle {\frac {5}{12}}+{\frac {11}{18}}} equals, or whether 5 12 {\displaystyle {\frac {5 ...
The simplified equation is not entirely equivalent to the original. For when we substitute y = 0 and z = 0 in the last equation, both sides simplify to 0, so we get 0 = 0 , a mathematical truth. But the same substitution applied to the original equation results in x /6 + 0/0 = 1 , which is mathematically meaningless .
Simplification is the process of replacing a mathematical expression by an equivalent one that is simpler (usually shorter), according to a well-founded ordering. Examples include:
For aviation purposes, where it is common to add times in an already complicated environment, time tracking is simplified by recording decimal fractions of hours. For instance, instead of adding 1:36 to 2:36, getting 3:72 and converting it to 4:12, one would add 1.6 to 2.6 and get 4.2 hours. [19]
Conversely the period of the repeating decimal of a fraction c / d will be (at most) the smallest number n such that 10 n − 1 is divisible by d. For example, the fraction 2 / 7 has d = 7, and the smallest k that makes 10 k − 1 divisible by 7 is k = 6, because 999999 = 7 × 142857. The period of the fraction 2 / 7 is ...
When speaking the numbers in fractions, the spatial/chronological numbering system is used for denominators larger than 2 (2 as the denominator of a fraction is "half" rather than "second"), with a denominator of 4 sometimes spoken as "quarter" rather than "fourth".