3.

What are you going to In Chapter 2, you have

ve learned how to add and subtract
learn? fractions.
À To operate aone
term algebraic
fractions Now examine some operations on the following
À To simplify the
fractions.
results of algebraic
fractional
operations
1 2 3 1 3 4
a. + = b. + =
4 4 4 5 5 5
Key Words:
• algebraic fractional 6 3 3 5 2 3
c. − = d. − =
form 8 8 8 7 7 7

Based on the examples, we can conclude that to add or

to subtract like fractions we just add or subtract the
numerators while the denominators remain unchanged.

2 3 5
Now what is + ? The answer is , isn’t it?
a a a
Next do the following problems.

PROBLEM 1 Find the results of

3 5 ..... 6 3 .....
a. + = . b. + =
b b ..... c c .....
9 4 ..... 4 6 .....
c. − = d. − =
d d ..... e e .....
3 5 6 7 ..... 3 4 7 6 .....
e. + − + = . f. − + − = .
a a a a ..... b b b b .....

Next, examine the multiplication on the fractions

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 119

 below.

2 3 6 2 4 8
a. x = b. x =
5 4 20 3 7 21

To find the product of two fractions we only need to

multiply the corresponding numerators and the
corresponding denominators.

5 2
Now what is × ? (d ≠ 0, k ≠ 0)
d k

Now do the following problems.

PROBLEM 2
What is the product of the following?
4 5 .... 5 7 ....
a. × = b. × 2 =
7 d e .... k 8l ....
8 6 .... 7 9 ....
c. 2
× = d. 2
× 3 =
3m n .... n 2k ....

Next, look at the division on the following

Remember:
Dividing fractions fractions.
is multiplying the 2 5 2 6 4 8 4 9
dividend to the a. : = × b. : = ×
inverse of the 3 6 3 5 7 9 7 8
divisor. 2.6 4.9
= =
3.5 7.8
12 36
= =
15 56
8 5 8n
Now what is : ? The answer is , isn’t it?
PROBLEM 3 d n 5d
Now do the following problem.
What is the result of the following divisions?
3 6 .... 5 7 ....
a. : = b. : =
5b c .... d 2 6k ....

120 / Student’s Book – Algebraic Forms and Their Operations

 4 7 .... 5 3 ....
c. : = d. 4
: 3 =
3n 2 l 5 .... 7b 8 f ....

Next, examine the fractional exponents below.

6
2 6 x 36
5
⎛2⎞ 2 x3 ⎞
b. ⎛⎜
25
a. ⎜ ⎟ = 5 ⎟ =
⎝3⎠ 3 ⎝ 7 ⎠ 76

Based on the examples above, we can conclude that

to raise the power of a fraction we just raise the
power of numerator and denominator.

4
⎛5⎞ 54
What is ⎜ ⎟ ? The answer is 4 , isn’t it?
⎝k⎠ k
5
3 35
What is ⎛⎜ 2 ⎞⎟ ? The answer is 10 ,isn’t it?
⎝k ⎠ k

Now, do the following problems.

PROBLEM 4 Find the results of

3 2
⎛ 5 ⎞ .... ⎛ 3 ⎞ ....
a. ⎜ ⎟ = b. ⎜ 2 ⎟ =
⎝ 6k ⎠ .... ⎝ 2k ⎠ ....
5 x
⎛ k ⎞ .... ⎛ 6 ⎞ ....
c. ⎜ 3 ⎟ = d. ⎜ 5 ⎟ =
⎝ 5b ⎠ .... ⎝ 2c ⎠ ....

Mathematics for Junior High School – Year 7 / 121

 Calculate
7 8 6 7 .... ⎛ 8 9 ⎞ 7 ....
1. + − − = 7. ⎜ 2 + ⎟ : =
a b a b .... ⎝n k ⎠ k ....

4 6 8 12 .... ⎛ 9 8 ⎞ 4 ....
2. + − + = 8. ⎜ − ⎟ : =
5a 7 a 9b 3b .... ⎝ m n ⎠ m ....

8 3 .... ⎛8 6 ⎞ 4 ....
3. × 2 = 9. ⎜ × ⎟ : 2 =
2k 2k .... ⎝n m⎠ m ....

4 3 .... ⎛ 8 7 ⎞ 8 ....
4. × = 10. ⎜ 3 : 2 ⎟ × =
⎝ m n ⎠ n ....
2
2m 5n ....

5 3
4 ⎛7 6 ⎞ .... ⎛7⎞ ⎛ 8 ⎞ ....
5. ⎜ 2 + 3⎟= 11. ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ =
2n ⎝ l m ⎠ .... ⎝ m ⎠ ⎝ 2n ⎠ ....

4 5
⎛ 7 9 ⎞ 8 .... ⎛ 8 ⎞ ⎛ 4 ⎞ ....
6. ⎜ − 2 ⎟ × = 12. ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ 2 ⎟ =
⎝ 2k n ⎠ n .... ⎝ 2n ⎠ ⎝ 3k ⎠ ....

122 / Student’s Book – Algebraic Forms and Their Operations