What is the difference between a simple "fraction" and a "common fraction"?

Question

I have read about a **common fraction** in this statement (written in a text book): > Ratio is the simplest form of a common fraction, in which the > numerator denotes the antecedent and the denominator denotes the > consequent. The Wordweb dictionary defines a common fraction as > The quotient (*defined as "The ratio of two quantities to be > divided" / "The number obtained by division"*) of two integers. From this definition, a common fraction pretty much seems to be just the same as a *fraction*. **So what is the difference?**

Answer 1

Hi Latoya,

A "fraction" is any number that is not a whole number. It can be written as a traditional fraction (with a numerator and a denominator), or a decimal. 1/2, 2.5, and 9/2 are all examples of fractions because they are not whole numbers.

A common fraction is a fraction that is written with a numerator and denominator that are both integers (whole numbers). Common fractions do not have to be proper fractions (fractions whose numerator is less than their denominator). 1/2 and 9/2 are both examples of common fractions because both numbers in them are integers.

1.5/0.5 is a fraction because it is not a whole number, but it is not a common fraction because its numerator and denominator are not integers. All "common fractions" are fractions, but not all fractions are "common fractions."

Hope this helps!