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Tips
- Fractions are division problems.
- The top number is divided by the bottom number.
- Converting fractions is also called changing fractions.
- Algebra teachers assume you know how to convert fractions.
- Algebra assumes that fractions are division problems.
- Money is a helpful illustration of decimals as fractions.
- Grades are helpful illustrations of fractions as percentages.
- To understand algebra, you must understand fractions as division problems.
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Algebra teachers assume their students know how to convert fractions. Converting fractions is a fancy way of saying "change fractions into decimals and percentages". In order to change a fraction into a decimal or a percentage, the fraction must be seen as a division problem. The top number is divided by the bottom number. There is much more explanation of this on the rest of this page.
There is debate among teachers as to how much singing and games help various types of students learn how to convert fractions and other abstract concepts. Some teachers say these methods ought to be reserved for gifted and talented students. Other teachers say that average and slower students need even more opportunities to be engaged in the lesson, not more "drill and kill" activities. http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/education/blog/2009/10/gifted_and_talented_education.html
In order to change a fraction into a decimal or a percentage, understand that a fraction is a division problem. The top number is being divided by the bottom number. This is pretty straightforward on a calculator. If you are not allowed to use a calculator, then be sure to watch the video that is featured on this page, Change Fractions to Decimals to Percents. It shows very clearly how to convert fractions on paper. Converting fractions is a fancy way of saying "change fractions to decimals or percentages". More is written on this page below this video. There are explanations, examples, and tips, so read on down!
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Change Fractions to Decimals to Percents
This is a public domain video clip taken from the DVD, "Living with Percents" by the folks at LivingWithEssays.com. It explains that fractions can have different meanings depending on the context. It explains that for the purpose of changing fractions into decimals and percents, fractions need to be interpreted as division problems. It demonstrates how to change the fractions 1/4, 3/4, and 1/2 into decimals and percentages. It explains that a fraction is a division problem where the top number is being divided by the bottom number. It demonstrates how to divide the bottom number into the top number on paper, without a calculator.
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Step 1: Understand that Fractions are Division Problems
Fractions are division problems. The top number (the numerator) is being divided by the bottom number (the denominator). For example, the fraction 19/20 can be read as "nineteen divided by twenty". In school when we first correct our tests, we first see our grade as a fraction. We usually read it as, "nineteen out of twenty". We divide the number we got right, 19, by the total number of questions, 20. Another way of saying this is "divide the part by the whole". -
Step 2: Do the Division to Create a Decimal
In step one we got our raw score on the test, 19/20. We usually read this as "nineteen out of twenty". In order to get our percentage grade, we first do the division to get a decimal. We enter into the calculator 19 / 20. We get .95. We have converted the fraction 19/20 into the decimal .95. If we are not allowed to use a calculator, then we do long division. For an excellent demonstration on how to do this long division to convert a fraction into a decimal, please watch the video featured on this page, Change Fractions to Decimals to Percents. -
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Step 3: Move the Decimal to Create a Percentage
Now that we have converted our raw test score of 19/20 into the decimal .95, we move the decimal to the right to create a percentage. When moving from decimals to percentages, we always move the decimal two places to the right. The decimal .95 becomes the percentage 95.% and because there are no numbers to the right of the decimal, it can be dropped to give us 95%. Hopefully, this use of grades as an example of how to convert fractions will help you remember to move the decimal two places to the right in order to get the percentage. -
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