8.11 Whole numbers as fractions
Are you ready?
Remembering equivalent fractions will help you solve problems in this lesson. Let's give this problem a try.
Fill in the blank to find an equivalent fraction to $$23:
$$23=6
Learn
We can turn whole numbers into fractions by letting the whole number be the numerator, or number on top, and putting $$1 as the denominator, or number on bottom. For example, $$4=41.
We can do this because fractions represent a number of pieces of a whole. The numerator (top number) tells us how many pieces there are, and the denominator (bottom number) tells us the size of the pieces. When the denominator is $$1, these pieces are whole units.
We can also represent a whole number with a fraction that has a different denominator, or number on bottom. We can do this by letting the denominator be $$1, then multiplying the top and bottom of the fraction by the same number. For example, $$3=31=3×21×2=62.
Apply
Question 1
Rewrite $$91 as a whole number.
We can turn a whole number into a fraction by letting the denominator, or number on bottom, be $$1.