# 6.1.6 Fractions of a Group

## Activity: Fractions of a Group

From a survey of a group of 560 people, 245 say that they have taken a college course during the last year, and 140 say that they have taken a math course.

(a) What fraction of the total group has taken a college course during the last year?

### Discussion

What is the total number of people surveyed? How many of those reported taking a college course during the last year? Remember to reduce your fraction!

(a) The fraction who have taken a college course during the last year is . Now, both 245 and 560 look as though they can be divided by 5. Let’s try it. Yes! That gives us . Now, 7 is one of the few numbers that can divide evenly into 49. Does it also divide 112? Yes again! This fraction can be simplified by dividing the top and bottom by 5 and then by 7:

(b) What fraction of the total group has taken a math course?

### Discussion

 How many out of the total number of people interviewed took a math course? Remember to reduce your fraction!