Fractions are one way of showing numbers that are parts of a whole. Other ways are decimals and percentages. You can also convert between fractions, decimals and percentages. Like whole numbers and decimals, fractions can be either positive or negative.

Multiplying or dividing both parts of a fraction by the same number will always create equivalent fractions. There are an infinite amount of equivalent fractions that can be found because there are an infinite amount of numbers to multiply by

For instance:
2/9 + 3/9 = 5/9 or 6/11 - 4/11 = 2/11

Example:
Work out 4/7 + 1/3

Create a common denominator by looking for the lowest common multiple of 7 and 3. This is 21 (7 x 3 = 21, 3 x 7 = 21)

Multiplying and dividing fractions:
- To multiply two fractions together, multiply the numerators together and multiply the denominators together.

6/15 can be simplified to 2/5 (take out a common factor of 3)

Example 2:
Work out 2 1/3 x 1 1/2

2 1/3 = 7/3 (2x3+1/3) and 1 1/2 = 3/2 (1x2+1/2)

7/2 = 3 1/2

Divide the numerator by the denominator
This fraction cannot be simplified any further, so this is the final answer

Example:
Work out 3/5 / 2/3

This is the same as 3/5 x 3/2 (keep the first fraction the same, change the divide sign t a multiply and write the second fraction as a reciprocal - flip it upside down)