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In the real-world setting, fractions are used not just inside the classroom but also from simple day-to-day happenings such as dividing pizza among your friends.
Understanding its concepts may be easy for some, but for many students, it is quite challenging. So, this set of notes explains plainly how to understand this topic step by step and helps you learn it in as much fun as possible.
Think of it as a hobby like baking, in particular. You use various measuring instruments that are crucial for a perfect recipe. Just imagine what would happen if you cannot figure out which one to use if you need 3/4 of flour and yet, you just have 1/2 and 1/4 measuring cups?
The dilemma is there and the mere fact of not knowing how it works does not justify the inconvenience it brought. So, instead of looking for answer on the internet for a simple problem, why not learn it and master the concept? Do not worry, because I'll show you the way on how you can make it look basic.
Fractions and its definition
One better way to understand a topic is to know by heart about its definition. Hence, knowing what it is all about helps grasp its essence and how it is used.
Fraction is a way of showing a part of a whole. Say, for example, it is your birthday, and you have a cake. There are four individuals in the room, and you divide the whole cake into four pieces. You take one and that represents a portion of the whole. That means you take 1/4 of it, so only 3/4 of the cake remains.
To better understand the concept, here's a visual guide:
Should you want to learn them via your phone and save them as images, you may do so. Keep in mind, however, that the quality may be a little bit different than the original.
Now that you have a grasped about what a fraction is, together with its types, let's dive deeper to how fractions are being used in the world.
Fractions in the tailoring field
We often see several measurements written by tailors when they are drafting. This helps them accurately sew a shirt, pants or any piece of cloth you bring to them for repair or when they create one from the scratch.
For example, a tailor is making a dress for a special occasion you wish to join, and the pattern calls for 2 1/2 yards of fabric. The tailor would then need to know the total measurement of fabric required for each part and what's the allowance to add for seamless fitting.
Without understanding fractions such as 1/2 inch, miscalculations can occur. This could lead to either shortages or excess fabric, both of which can be costly. So, knowing it by heart does save money and time.
Fraction's role in budgeting and financial planning
When it comes to planning finances, like salary, fractions play an important role in dividing how much of the salary will go to various categories.
When you want 1/4 of your salary goes to important things such as food, transportation, and allowance, you can simply compute for it by dividing the total by 4.
Let's say you have a 1-year loan being paid in installments. If you have already paid 5 months, you know that it constitutes 5/12 of the loan.
From ordinary daily activities to academic lessons, there's really a lot of things where we can apply fractions.
With all these, we can now proceed to a more exciting part. With a bit of practice and right approach, you can get the hang of. Soon, you will get the fruit of your hardwork.
Here it is:
Right Approach, Consistent practice
We're done with the basics like knowing what a numerator is which is the top number that tells you the parts you have and the denominator or the bottom number which tells you how many equal parts the whole is divided into.
For the tips, take note that it is easier to solve when you can visualize it. For example, you bought a dozen of eggs. It has 12 in it, right? Now, every egg you take from it constitutes 1/12 of the total.
Do not jump on bigger fractions immediately. Take it little by little because getting comfortable with the basics will make the harder stuff easier later.
You might have heard least common denominator or LCD. When you solve fractions with different denominator, you can use the concept of LCD to solve it.
For example, you want to use 1/2 and 1/4 measuring cups to achieve the 3/4 cups of a certain ingredient. Since they have different denominator, you may use 4 as the new bottom number as it represents the LCD of 2 and 4. Why 4? because it is the least multiple of both numbers that they have in common. 1/2 will then become 2/4, which will make it easier for us to add 1/4 from it. Now, we finally get 3/4.
Just practice solving more and you'll see improvement anytime soon. Any advice taken is useless without action so do it. Anyway, you can always ask for help if you need it.
Final Words
Fractions may seem a complex class topic, but in a wider perspective, it is indispensable in various real-world scenarios. Be it dividing a food into various pieces, sewing a cloth, or budgeting your money, fractions provide the precision needed to achieve the best results.
By learning fractions, you do not just grasp the concept. You are also developing a crucial skill for future endeavor. It helps achieve great quality and success. More than that, you'll ace navigating through daily tasks with ease.