Convert the improper fraction 17/4 to a mixed number.

Convert the improper fraction 17/4 to a mixed number.

• A. 4 1/4
• B. 4 3/4
• C. 3 5/4
• D. 4 4/4

Answer: (A)

To convert an improper fraction to a mixed number, you see how many times the denominator fits into the numerator; that count becomes the whole-number part, and the leftover as a fraction over the same denominator becomes the fractional part. For 17/4, 4 fits into 17 four times (4 × 4 = 16), leaving a remainder of 1. Put that together as four and one over four, written as 4 1/4. That’s the standard mixed-number form where the fractional part is less than 1. If you try a form like 4 3/4, you’d get a larger value (19/4), and 3 5/4 uses a fractional part greater than 1, which isn’t how mixed numbers are written. 4 4/4 is equal to 5, another different value. So the correct mixed-number form is 4 1/4.

To convert an improper fraction to a mixed number, you see how many times the denominator fits into the numerator; that count becomes the whole-number part, and the leftover as a fraction over the same denominator becomes the fractional part. For 17/4, 4 fits into 17 four times (4 × 4 = 16), leaving a remainder of 1. Put that together as four and one over four, written as 4 1/4. That’s the standard mixed-number form where the fractional part is less than 1. If you try a form like 4 3/4, you’d get a larger value (19/4), and 3 5/4 uses a fractional part greater than 1, which isn’t how mixed numbers are written. 4 4/4 is equal to 5, another different value. So the correct mixed-number form is 4 1/4.