FRACTIONS

COMMON MISTAKES

1 10/20/2009
Fractions Changing Fractions to Decimals

How to Change Fractions Common Mistakes

to Decimals
Dividing the denominator
To change fractions to by the numerator.
decimals, you need to Incorrect:
divide the numerator (top 4
1.25
4 5.00
4
1.25
number) by the 5 5

denominator (bottom Correct:

number). 4
0.8
4
5 4.0 Therefore, = 0.8
5 5

Note: Be careful to divide

top number by bottom
Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx
To View the document, select ctrl and double click the link number.
2
Fractions - Reducing

How to Reduce Fractions Common Mistakes

To reduce fractions divide Not reducing the fraction all

the largest common number the way.
into both the numerator Incorrect 16 16 2 8
= =
24 24 2 12
(the top) and the
denominator (the Correct 16 16 8 2
= =
bottom). 24 24 8 3

3 Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Fractions, Mixed Numbers
How to create a mixed
number. Common Mistakes
To make a mixed number, the Trying to make a mixed
numerator must be larger than the number when the
denominator.
numerator (the top) is
Divide the denominator (the
bottom) into the numerator (the
smaller than the
top), the number of times it goes denominator (the bottom)
is the whole number. The
This cannot be made into a mixed number
remainder goes in the numerator.
10
7
Example: 7 Seven goes into 10 once, with 3 left over 10
So 10 3
=1
7 7

4 Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Fractions Lowest Common Denominator

How to find the LCD Common Mistakes

Write the multiples of all the Not finding the smallest LCD
denominators. Ex. 2 1 Finding a number that goes into both of
3 2
The denominators are 3 and 2. the denominators, NOT a number that
Multiples of 2: 2,4, 6,8,10, 12 both denominators go into.
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12 Ex. 1 3
+
6 8
Select the smallest common number.
The LCD is 6 Incorrect: 1 3 1 2 3 2 2 6 8
+ = + = + =
6 8 6 2 8 2 12 16 28
Write equivalent fractions
In the example above, 2 will go into both 6
2 1 2 3 1 2 6 2 and 8; so students will use an LCD of 2 for
= =
3 2 6 6 6 6 the problem.

Correct: 1 3 1 4 3 3 4 9 13
+ = + = + =
6 8 6 4 8 3 24 24 24
In the example above, the LCD is 24.

5 Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Fractions Adding and Subtracting
How to add and Subtract
Fractions Common Mistakes
Make sure the fractions have a Not finding a common
common denominator. (see slide 2) denominator
Add or Subtract the numerator. Adding/subtracting both the
Reduce the fraction numerator and denominator.
Incorrect 2 4 6
+ =
3 8 11

Correct
2 1 2 8 1 3 16 3 19
+ = + = + =
3 8 24 24 24 24 24

Note: You cant ever add or subtract

the denominators.

6 Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Fractions - Multiplying

How to Multiply Fractions Common Mistakes

To multiply fractions, Trying to find the Least

Common Denominator
multiply each of the before multiplying.
numerators (the top Not reducing the product all
numbers) together and each the way.
of the denominators (the Incorrect: 34 87 28
21 32

28
bottom numbers) together.
Reducing can be done Correct: 3 8 3 8 24 4 6
= = =
4 7 4 7 28 4 7
before the multiplying or
after the products are found. Note: You do NOT need a
Common Denominator to
multiply fractions.

7 Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink
Fractions - Dividing

How to Divide Fractions Common Mistakes

Canceling before you flip.
Take the fraction following
Incorrect: 2 4 1 4 4 1
the division sign and flip it
= = =
3 8 3 4 12 3
By canceling the 2 from the first fraction into the 8 in the
- take the reciprocal. second fraction the answer comes out wrong.

Multiply the fractions Correct: 2 4 2 8 1 8 8 4

= = = =
3 8 3 4 3 2 6 3
Hint: You must cancel after you In this example, the canceling was done after the fraction
was flipped, thereby giving the correct solution.
have flipped the fraction.
Ex. Forgetting to flip the fraction following the
division sign.
2 4 2 8 16 4
= = = Forgetting to reduce the final answer.
3 8 3 4 12 3
Flipping (taking the reciprocal) of both
fractions

8 Complete Fraction Manual Fraction Review.docx 10/20/2009

To view; right click and open the hyperlink