Gre by ArgoPrep: : gre prep 2018 + 14 Days Online Comprehensive Prep Included + Videos + Practice Tests \

112

---

ARGOPREP.COM/GRE
Equivalent Fractions 
Since fractions represent the part of a given whole, increasing the whole and the part by the same amount does not
change the relationship. Consider the fraction 1 
_2. If you multiplied the numerator and denominator by 3, for example,
you would end up with the equivalent fraction 3 
_6.
Reducing Fractions
There are a number of instances in which you will need to reduce fractions on the exam; in fact, whenever you are
able to do so, you should. When you reduce a fraction, you simply express the fraction in its lowest terms. 
Let us suppose you have the fraction 40 
_
80. To reduce the fraction, identify the greatest common factor shared by the
numerator and denominator. In this case, 40 and 80 share several factors:
Factors of 40: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 
40
Factors of 80: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 20, 
40
The greatest common factor of the numerator and the denominator is 
40
. To reduce the fraction, determine how many
times the greatest common factor divides into both the numerator and the denominator. 
Numerator: 40 

---

_
40
=
1 
Denominator: 80 
_
40
=
2 
Reduced fraction: 40 
_
80
=
1 
_2
Mixed Numbers
A mixed number is a fraction that is preceded by an integer. For example: 2 3 
_7. 
It is often not possible to work with mixed numbers and perform operations like addition and subtraction. You must
instead convert a mixed fraction into a standard fraction having just a numerator and a denominator. Converting a
fraction is rather straightforward. First, you multiply the denominator and the integer, then add the product to the
numerator. The denominator from the mixed fraction will remain the same.
2 3 
_7
=
7 
⋅
2 + 3 
_ 
7 
= 17 
_

---

7