How should a mixed number be expressed?

• A. As an improper fraction or its decimal equivalent.
• B. As a proper fraction only.
• C. As a decimal only.
• D. As a mixed number only.

Answer: (A)

A mixed number can be written as an improper fraction or as a decimal. This is because the value packed into a whole number plus a fraction can be collapsed into a single fraction with the same denominator, or expressed as a base-10 number through division.

To convert, multiply the whole part by the denominator and add the numerator to get the new numerator, keeping the same denominator. That gives the improper fraction. The decimal form comes from dividing the numerator by the denominator. For example, 3 1/4 becomes 13/4, which is 3.25 in decimal form. Some mixed numbers yield repeating decimals, like 1 1/3 equals 4/3 equals 1.333…, which is still a valid decimal representation.

So the most complete way to express a mixed number is as an improper fraction or its decimal equivalent.