complex fraction
- noun
- /ˈkɒmplɛks ˈfrækʃən/
- Specialized
:
fracción compleja
- To simplify a complex fraction, you need to combine the fractions within it carefully.
Examples
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When you have a complex fraction, it means a fraction within fractions, OK?
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So if you ever felt rusty with your complex fractions, you could attack some of these problems.
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When you have a complex fraction, it means a fraction within fractions, OK?
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A complex fraction is a fraction that has another fraction in the numerator or denominator.
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Students often struggle with complex fractions because they involve multiple layers of division.
Synonyms
20
2.6
A number that shows a part of a whole written as one number over another
1
7.0
A fraction whose top or bottom number is also a fraction
Antonyms
- Specialized
1
3.4
A number that shows a part of a whole with whole numbers on top and bottom, like 3/4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'complex' (complicated, consisting of intricate parts) modifies 'fraction' (a numerator/denominator number), so the meaning — a more complicated fraction, typically one whose numerator or denominator contains fractions — is directly inferable from the parts. This compositional pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows normal English noun modification, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand the MWE's basic sense.
Etymology
Complex fraction is a name for a fraction that has smaller fractions inside its numerator or denominator, like a big fraction with little fractions sitting on top or below it. So the word 'complex' points to those extra fractions, and that is why you usually change it into one simple 'fraction' to work with it.