Update as of 6-2-07: All solutions to the problem below are now posted in the Comments section. Also, read Eric Jablow's astute comments and his challenge to students!
The following problem is well-known, however it is an excellent exercise for middle schoolers and as a challenge for older students as well.
Target Audience: Grades: 6-12
Prerequisite skills: Basic understanding of fractions and simple operations
Develops: Logical thinking, Systematic Counting/Listing, Fraction Concepts, Structure of Mathematical Proof
Recommended Classroom Organization for this activity: Students working in groups up to 4.
Online Resource: Here's one of the best sites on Egyptian Fractions I have found on the web. The problem is discussed but not solved!
Introduction for student:
A unit fraction is defined as 1/n, where n is a positive integer greater than 1.
The number 1 can be written as a sum of 3 unit fractions in 3 ways:
1 = 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/6
1 = 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/4
1 = 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3
No other ways (other than rearrangement) can be found using the following reasoning:
The largest of the 3 fractions could not be less than 1/3. Why?
If 1/3 is the largest fraction, then the larger of the remaining fractions could not be less than 1/3. Why?
Here's your challenge:
There are 14 ways to write 1 as a sum of four unit fractions of the form:
1 = 1/a + 1/b + 1/c + 1/d, where a ≤ b ≤ c ≤ d.
Make a list of all of these ways. Have fun! Uh, no calculators please!
Showing posts with label egyptian fractions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label egyptian fractions. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Unit Fractions - Pyramid Power?
Posted by
Dave Marain
at
6:10 AM
5
comments
Labels: egyptian fractions, fractions, investigations, middle school, proof, unit fractions
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