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Secondary 2 · Mathematics
Numbers · Rational numbers

Operations with Rational Numbers

Before you start, make sure you know: Least common multiple (Secondary Year 1 (first cycle))
Before you start, make sure you know: Operations with fractions (Secondary Year 1 (first cycle))

Yaritza records a video on her cell phone. When editing it, she cuts $\frac{1}{6}$ of the footage because of sound errors, and then removes $\frac{2}{5}$ of what's left because the pacing was slow. What fraction of the original video survives? To answer, you need to add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions with ease, even when negatives show up. At the end of the page we'll solve it.

Remember that the rational numbers $\mathbb{Q}$ are the numbers that can be written as a fraction $\frac{a}{b}$ with $b \neq 0$, and that $\mathbb{Q}$ sits inside the real numbers $\mathbb{R}$. Everything you do here with fractions also works for integers (like $\frac{3}{1}$) and for terminating or repeating decimals.

Irreducible fraction

In a survey of your class, $\frac{12}{30}$ of the students chose a short-video social network. Is that the simplest way to say it? A fraction is irreducible (in lowest terms) when the numerator and denominator have no common divisor other than $1$.

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In a survey conducted in your class about their favorite social network, $\frac{12}{30}$ of the students chose a short-video platform. Find the irreducible fraction to…

In a survey conducted in your class about their favorite social network, $\frac{12}{30}$ of the students chose a short-video platform. Find the irreducible fraction to work out what fraction of the total this group represents.

Solve

Adding and subtracting fractions

Bar representation of adding three fourths and one half to get five fourths. 3/4 1/2 3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4
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To make a healthy smoothie, you have mixed $\frac{3}{4}$ of a liter of oat milk with $\frac{1}{2}$ liters of orange juice. When serving it, $\frac{1}{8}$ of a liter is…

To make a healthy smoothie, you have mixed $\frac{3}{4}$ of a liter of oat milk with $\frac{1}{2}$ liters of orange juice. When serving it, $\frac{1}{8}$ of a liter is spilled. Work through the operation step by step to find out how much of the mixture remains in the jug.

Solve
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A teenager spends $\frac{1}{3}$ of their afternoon free time playing sports and $\frac{2}{5}$ studying math. a) Calculate what fraction of their total free time these…

A teenager spends $\frac{1}{3}$ of their afternoon free time playing sports and $\frac{2}{5}$ studying math.

  1. a) Calculate what fraction of their total free time these two activities take up.
  2. b) What fraction of time do they have left to play on the video game console?
Solve

Multiplying and dividing fractions

Area model representing the multiplication of two thirds by one half through the overlap of shaded parts. 2/3 wide 1/2 tall 2/3 · 1/2 = 2/6 = 1/3

Fraction of a quantity

To find $\frac{a}{b}$ of a quantity, multiply the quantity by the fraction. If your cell phone battery is $4{,}500$ mAh and $\frac{4}{9}$ is left, you have $4500 \times \frac{4}{9} = 2{,}000$ mAh.

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On a shelf in a comic shop, $\frac{2}{3}$ of the titles are about superheroes. Of those superhero comics, half ($\frac{1}{2}$) belong to a famous American publisher.…

On a shelf in a comic shop, $\frac{2}{3}$ of the titles are about superheroes. Of those superhero comics, half ($\frac{1}{2}$) belong to a famous American publisher. Calculate the fraction of the whole shelf represented by the comics of that specific publisher by carrying out a fraction multiplication.

Solve
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We want to share $\frac{3}{2}$ of a kilogram of gummy sweets into small bags. If we put $\frac{1}{10}$ of a kilogram into each bag: a) How many bags can we fill…

We want to share $\frac{3}{2}$ of a kilogram of gummy sweets into small bags. If we put $\frac{1}{10}$ of a kilogram into each bag:

  1. a) How many bags can we fill completely?
  2. b) Carry out the operation using division of fractions: $\frac{3}{2} : \frac{1}{10}$
Solve
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Your cell phone battery has a total capacity of $4500$ mAh. If the screen currently shows that exactly $\frac{4}{9}$ of its capacity remains: a) How many mAh are…

Your cell phone battery has a total capacity of $4500$ mAh. If the screen currently shows that exactly $\frac{4}{9}$ of its capacity remains:

  1. a) How many mAh are available?
  2. b) If battery saver mode is activated when $\frac{1}{5}$ of the total remains, how many mAh does that limit represent?
4/9 Current 1/5 Battery saver 4500 mAh Total Capacity
Solve

Opposite and reciprocal of a fraction

Diagram comparing the opposite and the reciprocal of the fraction three eighths. 3/8 opposite −3/8 3/8 + (−3/8) = 0 reciprocal 8/3 3/8 · 8/3 = 1
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Look at the following figure, which represents a chocolate cake divided into equal slices. Write down the fraction representing the missing part, and calculate the…

Look at the following figure, which represents a chocolate cake divided into equal slices. Write down the fraction representing the missing part, and calculate the opposite fraction and the reciprocal fraction of that amount.

Total: 8 partes Faltan: ? Part eaten (3 slices)
Solve

Powers and roots of fractions

The properties of exponents you already know also hold with fractions: the exponent is applied to the numerator and the denominator.

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Calculate the value of the following mixed operation with negative powers and simplify the result: $$ \left( \frac{3}{2} \right)^{-2} : \left( \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{3}…

Calculate the value of the following mixed operation with negative powers and simplify the result:

$$ \left( \frac{3}{2} \right)^{-2} : \left( \frac{1}{2} - \frac{1}{3} \right) + \left( -1 \right)^5 $$
Solve
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Find the value of $x$ in the following equality of powers with rational numbers, applying the necessary properties to simplify the expression: $$\frac{\left( \frac{2}{3}…

Find the value of $x$ in the following equality of powers with rational numbers, applying the necessary properties to simplify the expression:

$$\frac{\left( \frac{2}{3} \right)^5 \times \left( \frac{9}{4} \right)^{-2}}{\left( \frac{4}{9} \right)^{3} : \left( \frac{3}{2} \right)^{-4}} = \left( \frac{2}{3} \right)^x$$
Solve

Decimals and fractions together

Sometimes an expression mixes fractions with decimals. The cleanest approach is to convert everything to fractions and work with exact fractions.

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In a chemistry laboratory, a container holds $2.4$ liters of an acid solution. For an experiment, $\frac{2}{3}$ of the contents is first extracted. Then, $0.5$ liters of…

In a chemistry laboratory, a container holds $2.4$ liters of an acid solution. For an experiment, $\frac{2}{3}$ of the contents is first extracted. Then, $0.5$ liters of distilled water are added to dilute the mixture. Finally, $\frac{3}{5}$ of the resulting mixture is used.

  1. a) Carry out all operations working exclusively with fractions.
  2. b) How many liters of mixture remain in the container at the end? Express the result both as a fraction and as a decimal number.
Solve
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Calculate the exact value of the following combined expression, first converting the decimals into their respective generating fractions and simplifying the intermediate…

Calculate the exact value of the following combined expression, first converting the decimals into their respective generating fractions and simplifying the intermediate steps:

$$\left( \frac{3}{5} - 0,\widehat{6} \right)^2 \times \left( \frac{1}{3} \right)^{-1} + \sqrt{\frac{25}{9}} : 1.2\widehat{5}$$
Solve

Combined operations with fractions

Just like with integers: first parentheses and brackets (from the inside out), then powers and roots, then multiplication and division, and finally addition and subtraction.

Diagram of the levels of the order of operations with fractions. 1. Parentheses and brackets 2. Powers and roots 3. Multiply and divide 4. Add and subtract
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Solve the following mixed operation respecting the order of operations: $$\frac{2}{5} \times \left( \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{3} \right) - \frac{1}{10}$$

Solve the following mixed operation respecting the order of operations:

$$\frac{2}{5} \times \left( \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{3} \right) - \frac{1}{10}$$
Solve
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Solve the following combined expression, simplifying the result to its simplest form: $$\frac{3}{5} - \left[ \frac{1}{2} : \left( \frac{2}{3} - \frac{1}{6} \right)…

Solve the following combined expression, simplifying the result to its simplest form:

$$\frac{3}{5} - \left[ \frac{1}{2} : \left( \frac{2}{3} - \frac{1}{6} \right) \right] \times \frac{5}{4}$$ 1 ( ) Brackets 2 [ ] Square brackets 3 · / : Mult/Div 4 + / - Add/Sub 3 5 - [ 1 2 : ( 2 3 - 1 6 ) ] · 5 4 1 2 3 4
Solve
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Calculate the result of the following combined operation, simplifying the result to its simplest form: $$ \frac{3}{5} - \left[ \frac{1}{2} + \left( \frac{2}{3} \right)^2…

Calculate the result of the following combined operation, simplifying the result to its simplest form:

$$ \frac{3}{5} - \left[ \frac{1}{2} + \left( \frac{2}{3} \right)^2 \times \left( \frac{1}{4} - 1 \right) \right] $$
Solve
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Find the value of the following expression taking into account the order of operations and the sign rules: $$ \frac{\frac{3}{2} - \frac{5}{4}}{\frac{1}{2} \times \left(…

Find the value of the following expression taking into account the order of operations and the sign rules:

$$ \frac{\frac{3}{2} - \frac{5}{4}}{\frac{1}{2} \times \left( -3 \right)} + \sqrt{\frac{16}{81}} $$
Solve

"Of what's left" problems

When a problem says a fraction of what's left, that fraction isn't applied to the total, but to the remainder. You have to go step by step.

Bar showing the successive loss of one sixth of the total and two fifths of the rest, leaving one half. whole = 1 1/6 2/5 of the rest left: 1/2 the rest: 5/6
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A content creator recorded a video for their channel. During editing, they cut $\frac{1}{6}$ of the total footage due to sound errors. Then, they removed $\frac{2}{5}$…

A content creator recorded a video for their channel. During editing, they cut $\frac{1}{6}$ of the total footage due to sound errors. Then, they removed $\frac{2}{5}$ of what was left because the pacing was too slow. In the end, the edited video is $18$ minutes long.

Remainder (5 parts) 1/6 Sound 2/5 Pacing 18 min Final video (3 parts) Total duration = ?
  1. a) What fraction of the original footage does the final $18$-minute video represent?
  2. b) How long was the original recording before editing began?
Solve
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Three friends decide to buy a gift for a classmate who is changing schools. The first contributes $\frac{2}{5}$ of the total price, the second contributes $\frac{1}{3}$…

Three friends decide to buy a gift for a classmate who is changing schools. The first contributes $\frac{2}{5}$ of the total price, the second contributes $\frac{1}{3}$ of what is left, and the third completes the payment with $960$ pesos.

  1. a) What fraction of the total does the amount contributed by the second friend represent?
  2. b) What is the total price of the gift?
  3. c) How much money did each person put in?
Solve
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In an eSports competition, the total prize money is distributed as follows: the winning team gets $\frac{4}{7}$ of the total, the runner-up $\frac{2}{3}$ of what is…

In an eSports competition, the total prize money is distributed as follows: the winning team gets $\frac{4}{7}$ of the total, the runner-up $\frac{2}{3}$ of what is left, and the third-placed team the remainder. If the difference between the prize for second and third place is $210\,000$ pesos, calculate the total value of the prize money and how much money each of the three teams receives.

Solve

Problems with fractions and unknown data

There are problems where the total or an unknown quantity appears in several parts. The strategy: call the total $x$, express each part as a fraction of $x$, and set up a simple equation.

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An architect is designing a play area in a rectangular park. They have decided to divide the ground as shown in the following diagram: If the "Grass" area occupies…

An architect is designing a play area in a rectangular park. They have decided to divide the ground as shown in the following diagram:

Grass Swings Sand Total length

If the "Grass" area occupies exactly half of the ground and the "Swings" area is $\frac{3}{10}$ of the total park:

  1. a) What fraction of the total does the "Sand" area represent?
  2. b) If the park has a total area of $1200$ $m^2$, how many square meters is the "Sand" area?
Solve
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A young influencer is organising her monthly budget from sponsorships. She allocates $\frac{2}{5}$ of her income to renting her studio and $\frac{1}{4}$ of the remainder…

A young influencer is organising her monthly budget from sponsorships. She allocates $\frac{2}{5}$ of her income to renting her studio and $\frac{1}{4}$ of the remainder to video editing. If after these expenses she still sets aside $\frac{5}{9}$ of what was left for savings and still has $28\,800$ pesos left for personal expenses, what is her total monthly income?

Solve
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In a chemistry laboratory, a tank contains a mixture of alcohol and water. Initially, $\frac{2}{7}$ of the contents is alcohol. $12$ liters of the mixture are removed…

In a chemistry laboratory, a tank contains a mixture of alcohol and water. Initially, $\frac{2}{7}$ of the contents is alcohol. $12$ liters of the mixture are removed and replaced with $12$ liters of pure alcohol. If the mixture now contains $\frac{2}{5}$ alcohol, how many liters of liquid are in total in the tank?

Solve

The following exercises combine geometry, time, and sharing of investments:

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Look at the design of this modern tile for a cultural center. The outer square has an area of $1$ m$^2$. Different regions have been shaded following a geometric…

Look at the design of this modern tile for a cultural center. The outer square has an area of $1$ m$^2$. Different regions have been shaded following a geometric pattern. Determine what fraction of the total the orange shaded region represents and calculate how many cm$^2$ correspond to it.

1 m 1 m Total area = 1 m²
Solve
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A surveillance drone makes a round trip between two bases. On the outward journey, it flies with a tailwind at a constant speed. On the return journey, into a headwind,…

A surveillance drone makes a round trip between two bases. On the outward journey, it flies with a tailwind at a constant speed. On the return journey, into a headwind, its speed is reduced to $\frac{3}{5}$ of the outward speed. If the total flight time was $1$ hour and $20$ minutes, what fraction of the total time did it take for the return journey? Express the result in minutes and seconds as well.

BASE A BASE B Distance d OUTWARD JOURNEY v₁ = v Wind RETURN JOURNEY v₂ = 3/5 v Wind Total time = t₁ + t₂ = 1h 20m
Solve
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Three partners invest in a technology business. The first contributes $720\,000$ pesos, the second contributes $\frac{2}{5}$ of the total, and the third contributes the…

Three partners invest in a technology business. The first contributes $720\,000$ pesos, the second contributes $\frac{2}{5}$ of the total, and the third contributes the same amount as the other two combined minus $1\,080\,000$ pesos.

  1. a) What is the total investment in the business?
  2. b) What fraction of the total does each partner contribute? (Express the fractions in their simplest form).
Solve

Back to the start: Yaritza's video keeps $\frac{1}{2}$ of the original footage, because after the first cut $\frac{5}{6}$ was left and the second cut removed $\frac{2}{5}$ of that remainder, that is, $\frac{1}{3}$ of the total.

Summary

See all the exercises in this section