Finding Equivalent Fractions

Pre-Algebra · Axiom Academy

EXAMPLE Finding Equivalent Fractions Let's find an equivalent fraction for with a denominator of 20, step by step. Find the fraction equivalent to that has a denominator of 20. In other words, fill in the missing numerator: . Nice work! You found an equivalent fraction by scaling up. Remember these steps: Identify the target: we needed a denominator of 20. Find the scaling factor: , so the factor is 4. Apply it to both parts: multiply the numerator AND the denominator by the same factor. The golden rule: for any non-zero n . Visual check: the area models confirm that and shade the same portion. This works for any fraction: multiply (or divide) the numerator and denominator by the same non-zero number, and the value never changes.

This is the written version of the interactive lesson above. See the full Pre-Algebra course.