How to convert from improper to mixed fractions

An improper fraction has as a numerator a figure greater than the denominator. Fractions typically represent parts of a whole, but improper fractions represent an amount greater than the whole, can be misleading, and need an explanation. Therefore, in this article we want to explain how to convert from an improper fraction to a mixed fraction or mixed number, to get a figure with a better understanding of the amount it represents.

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In the first place, it is very important that you understand what the proper, improper and mixed fractions are, and for that you must also remember that the numerator is the number that appears in the upper part of the fraction and the denominator is the lower one. So that:

• Own fraction: the numerator is smaller than the denominator
• Improper fraction: the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator
• Mixed fraction: a whole number accompanied by a proper fraction

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Thus, it should be noted that any improper fraction can be expressed with an equivalent mixed fraction and this conversion is precisely what occupies us in this article.

Therefore, let's use an example to make it easier to learn how to convert from improper to mixed fractions: let's suppose that we want to convert the improper fraction 9/4 into a mixed fraction.

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In this way, the first thing we should do is divide the numerator (the number above, the largest) between the denominator (the bottom one, the small one); in our example we will have to divide 9 by 4.

Once the operation is done, you should look at the quotient and the rest of the division, since they will be the values ​​that will serve to form the mixed fraction.

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And it is that the mixed fraction leaves the quotient, followed by a fraction formed by the rest divided by the divisor (the original denominator). Following the initial example, in the result of our mixed fraction the whole number will be 2 (the quotient of the division) and the fraction 1/4 (the rest of the splitter):

9/4 = 2 1/4

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In case you want to perform the inverse operation, that is, convert the mixed fraction into an improper fraction, you must keep the denominator and multiply the whole number of the mixed fraction by the denominator and add the numerator to get the numerator of the fraction improper

That is, in our example we will keep 4 as the denominator and multiply the 2 by 4 and add 1, so that the improper fraction will be again 9/4.