2. Write the mixed repeating (recurring) decimal number as an improper fraction.
3.3453455346 can be written as an improper fraction.
- The numerator is larger than or equal to the denominator.
Set up the first equation.
- Let y equal the decimal number:
y = 3.3453455346
Set up the second equation.
- Number of decimal places repeating: 3
Multiply both sides of the first equation by 103 = 1,000
y = 3.3453455346
1,000 × y = 1,000 × 3.3453455346
1,000 × y = 3,345.3455346
Get the same number of decimal places as for y:
1,000 × y = 3,345.3455346346
Note: 3,345.3455346346 = 3,345.3455346
Subtract the first equation from the second one.
- Having the same number of decimal places ...
- The repeating pattern drops off by subtracting the two equations.
1,000 × y - y = 3,345.3455346346 - 3.3453455346 ⇒
(1,000 - 1) × y = 3,345.3455346346 - 3.3453455346 ⇒
We now have a new equation:
999 × y = 3,342.0001891
Solve for y in the new equation.
999 × y = 3,342.0001891 ⇒
y = 3,342.0001891/999
Let the result written as a fraction.
Now we can write the number as a fraction.
According to our first equation:
y = 3.3453455346
According to our calculations:
y = 3,342.0001891/999
⇒ 3.3453455346 = 3,342.0001891/999
Get rid of the decimal places in the fraction above.
- Multiply the top and the bottom number by 10,000,000.
- 1 followed by as many 0-s as the number of digits after the decimal point.
3.3453455346 = (3,342.0001891 × 10,000,000)/(999 × 10,000,000)
3.3453455346 = 33,420,001,891/9,990,000,000
3. Reduce (simplify) the fraction above:
33,420,001,891/9,990,000,000
to the lowest terms, to its simplest equivalent form, irreducible.
To reduce a fraction to the lowest terms divide the numerator and denominator by their greatest (highest) common factor (divisor), GCF.
Factor the numerator and denominator (prime factorization).
33,420,001,891 = 2,309 × 2,861 × 5,059
9,990,000,000 = 27 × 33 × 57 × 37
Calculate the greatest (highest) common factor (divisor), GCF.
Multiply all the common prime factors by the lowest exponents.
But, the numerator and the denominator have no common factors.
GCF (2,309 × 2,861 × 5,059; 27 × 33 × 57 × 37) = 1
The numerator and the denominator are coprime numbers (no common prime factors, GCF = 1). So, the fraction cannot be reduced (simplified): irreducible fraction.
4. The fraction is an improper one, rewrite it as a mixed number (mixed fraction):
- A mixed number = an integer number and a proper fraction, of the same sign.
- Example 1: 2 1/5; Example 2: - 1 3/7.
- A proper fraction = the numerator is smaller than the denominator.
33,420,001,891 ÷ 9,990,000,000 = 3, remainder = 3,450,001,891 ⇒
33,420,001,891 = 3 × 9,990,000,000 + 3,450,001,891 ⇒
33,420,001,891/9,990,000,000 =
(3 × 9,990,000,000 + 3,450,001,891) / 9,990,000,000 =
(3 × 9,990,000,000) / 9,990,000,000 + 3,450,001,891/9,990,000,000 =
3 + 3,450,001,891/9,990,000,000 =
3 3,450,001,891/9,990,000,000