2006-09-28 12:16:28 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
The number 1 means the whole of something. 1 whole pizza for example. A fraction - that is a proper fraction - is a part of the pizza, it's less than one pizza. So a proper fraction is less than 1. Half a pizza is less than the whole pizza. So half is a fraction. That is written as 1 over 2, which means 1 whole divided by 2. 1 over 4 is a quarter because it means 1 whole divided by 4.
But an improper fraction is not really a fraction at all. That's why it's called 'improper' - it's a fake fraction, if you like, 'cos it's more than 1, or exactly a 1 ( a whole). It's just written to look like a fraction, with a number above a line and a number underneath the line.
Mathematicians and teachers for some strange reason, want you to be able to write a number that is a whole number - a 1 - or a higher number than 1 - just as if it were a fraction. Crazy! But there you are. A number can be expressed as an improper fraction by putting that number on top of the line and a 1 underneath the line. That number divided by a 1 gives you that number. 4 divided by 1 is 4. Just think of the line as meaning 'divided by'. 4 pizzas can be written as 4 over 1. 4 pizzas divided by 1 is still 4 pizzas!
2006-09-28 13:05:31 · answer #1 · answered by Veeta 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An inproper fraction is when the numerator is larger that the denomiator. To make a proper fraction, you factor our whole numbers. Fro the number 4, you could make it 8/2, 16/4, etc.
2006-09-28 19:19:59 · answer #2 · answered by Glenn N 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
4 over 1
2006-09-28 19:26:00 · answer #3 · answered by lv23smurf 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
4/1 or 8/2 or 12/3...
2006-09-28 21:49:10 · answer #4 · answered by Kemmy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's 4/1 because every whole numbers are go over 1 =)
2006-09-28 19:24:42 · answer #5 · answered by Susana G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The numerator (top) is bigger than the denominator (bottom) so 7 could be expressed as 28 over 4, or 21 over3, Geddit?
2006-09-28 19:28:49 · answer #6 · answered by PAUL H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
divide by 1
12 = 12/1
2006-09-28 19:20:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you mean a "top heavy fraction"
try 12 / 2 = 4
2006-09-28 19:24:47 · answer #8 · answered by Bacardi1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it would be 4/1
simply add :: *** /1 *** as d denominator or d number at d bottom xD
2006-09-28 19:29:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
12/3 i think
2006-09-28 19:20:22 · answer #10 · answered by Ron L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋