How many times have you flipped through the aptitude books looking for the easiest way to divide numbers?

When you come upon an easy way, you stop flipping books. You are hooked by the method and continue using the same. This article will be one of those sorts.

Let’s begin with an example 482/855

Do you need a calculator?

Let’s see a method with will not require a calculator.

This can be simplified by approximating the denominator and numerator to the nearest century number. In this case, approximately 855 to 900 and 482 to 500. So the approximate value of the given fraction will be 5/9.

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Do you know?

If a fraction x/y is given and you increase/decrease the numerator and denominator in the ratio x: y the value of the fraction does not change.

Let us understand it by taking an example:

Given ratio: 5/9

If I increase numerator by (5 x 1) 5 and denominator by (9 x 1 ) 9 , new fraction = 10/18= 5/9

If I increase numerator by (5 x 2) 10 and denominator by (9 x 2) 18 , new fraction = 15/27= 5/9

If I increase numerator by (5 x 5) 25 and denominator by (9 x 5) 45 , new fraction = 30/54= 5/9

If I decrease numerator by (5 x 3) 15 and denominator by (9 x 3) 27 , new fraction = -10/-18= 5/9

Since we have calculated the approximate value of fraction= 5/9.

The above calculation division becomes easy if you make the denominator 900.

482/855= (482+x)/900

Increase in denominator = 900 – 855 = 45

So, if the increase in numerator = 25, The value of the fraction will not change. (since 25/45 = 5/9 as discussed in the notes)

482/855 = (482+25)/ (855+45) = 507/900 = 0.5633

If you use the calculator and find the exact value of fraction 482/855= 0.5637.

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So, what we calculated using approximation is very close to the actual value. If you practice the above method, you can calculate any fraction very easily. You can use this method to solve Data interpretation and division of wages.