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Study Guide Summaries

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Grade 8 Fractions
Understanding Fractions
A fraction represents a part of a whole and consists of two main parts:

Numerator: The top number of the fraction, indicating how many parts of the whole are being
considered.

Denominator: The bottom number of the fraction, indicating the total number of equal parts the
whole is divided into.

Simplifying Fractions
Simplifying a fraction means reducing it to its simplest form, where the numerator and denominator
have no common factors other than 1. This is done by dividing both the numerator and the
denominator by their greatest common factor (GCF).

8
Example: Simplify 12
.​

1. Find the GCF of 8 and 12. The GCF is 4.

2. Divide both the numerator and the denominator by 4:

8÷4 2
=
12 ÷ 4 3
​ ​

Therefore, the simplified fraction is 23 . ​

Adding Fractions
Like Fractions
When adding fractions with the same denominator (like fractions), simply add the numerators and
keep the denominator the same.

1 2
Example: 4
​
+ 4
​

1+2 3
=
4 4
​ ​

Unlike Fractions
When adding fractions with different denominators (unlike fractions), you need to find a common
denominator before adding. The least common denominator (LCD) is often used.

1 1
Example: 3
​
+ 4
​

1. Find the common denominator. The least common multiple of 3 and 4 is 12.
2. Convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction with the common denominator:
1 1×4 4
3
​
= 3×4
​
= 12
​

1 1×3 3
4
​
= 4×3
​
= 12
​

3. Add the fractions:

4 3 4+3 7
+ = =
12 12 12 12
​ ​ ​ ​
 Subtracting Fractions 3
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Like Fractions
When subtracting fractions with the same denominator, subtract the numerators and keep the
denominator the same.

3 1
Example: 5
​
− 5
​

3−1 2
=
5 5
​ ​

Unlike Fractions
When subtracting fractions with different denominators, find a common denominator, convert the
fractions, and then subtract the numerators.

2 1
Example: 5
​
− 3
​

1. Find the common denominator. The least common multiple of 5 and 3 is 15.

2. Convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction with the common denominator:

2 2×3 6
5
​
= 5×3
​
= 15
​

1 1×5 5
3
​
= 3×5
​
= 15
​

3. Subtract the fractions:

6 5 6−5 1
− = =
15 15 15 15
​ ​ ​ ​

Multiplying Fractions
To multiply fractions, multiply the numerators together and the denominators together.

2 4
Example: 3
​
× 5
​

2×4 8
=
3×5 15
​ ​

Simplify the resulting fraction if necessary.

Dividing Fractions
To divide by a fraction, multiply by its reciprocal (the fraction flipped).

3 2
Example: 4
​
÷ 5
​

1. Find the reciprocal of 25 , which is 52 . ​ ​

2. Multiply 34 by 52 : ​ ​

3 5 3×5 15
× = =
4 2 4×2 8
​ ​ ​ ​

Simplify if necessary. 15 7
8 can also be expressed as the mixed number 1 8 .
​ ​

Converting Fractions to Decimals

To convert a fraction to a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator.

3
Example: Convert 4 to a decimal.
​

3 ÷ 4 = 0.75

Converting Fractions to Percentages

To convert a fraction to a percentage, first convert the fraction to a decimal, and then multiply by
100.

1
Example: Convert 4 to a percentage.
​

Materials 1. Convert 14 toStudy

a decimal:
Guide ​
1÷4 = 0.25 Smart Study Flashcards Test

2. Multiply the decimal by 100: 0.25 × 100 = 25%

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