Definition:Rational Number/Fraction/Improper
< Definition:Rational Number | Fraction(Redirected from Definition:Improper Fraction)
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Definition
An improper fraction is a rational number whose absolute value is greater than $1$, specifically when expressed in the form $r = \dfrac p q$ where $p$ and $q$ are integers such that $p > q$.
Examples
- $\dfrac 3 2$ is an improper fraction.
- $\dfrac {-5} 4$ is an improper fraction.
- $\dfrac {16} {10}$ is an improper fraction, although not in canonical form.
- $1 \frac 1 2$ is not an improper fraction: it is in fact a mixed number.
Also known as
An improper fraction is also known informally as a top-heavy fraction.
Also see
Linguistic Note
The word improper has evolved to mean rude or offensive, or even invasive (of privacy, personal space or sexual integrity).
Stand-up comedians may wish to take the opportunity to riff on why language hates fractions so much, that they are either improper or merely vulgar.
Sources
- 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Entry: fraction