Two fractions are considered equivalent if they represent the same value or proportion, even if they have different numerators and denominators. This means that when simplified, they will reduce to the same simplest form.
For example, the fractions 1/2 and 2/4 are equivalent. Although they look different, if you were to simplify 2/4, you would divide both the numerator and the denominator by 2, resulting in 1/2. Essentially, equivalent fractions express the same part of a whole.
To determine if two fractions are equivalent, you can cross-multiply. If the products are the same, the fractions are equivalent. For instance, for 1/2 and 2/4, you would calculate:
- 1 × 4 = 4
- 2 × 2 = 4
Since both products equal 4, this shows that 1/2 and 2/4 are indeed equivalent.