How do i display fractions?

You have to be careful. 80% is in fact 0.8.
Turn the calculator ON.
Enter the number 0.8
If your calculator is set to Write-View you will see the number displayed as a stacked fraction 4/5. If it is already in this form, press the key marked change with two arrows. The display should show a fraction.

If your calculator is set to LINE, you will see 4r5, where 4 is the numerator and 5 is the denominator.

The key marked change allows you to change displayed result from decimal to fraction and from fraction to decimal. When a number is converted to a fraction, it will always be a fraction reduced to its simplest terms.

Use the fraction conversion features of the calculator.
Near (above) the [S<>D] key that toggles display between fraction/radicals and decimals, there is a marking that reads [a b/c <=>d/c]. Accessed through the [SHIFT] key, this key converts from improper fractions [a b/c] to improper fractions [d/c].
Enter your fraction with the fraction key (the one below the CALC key) and press enter. If the numerator is less then the denominator (proper fraction) the remainder is just the numerator. If the numerator is greater than the denominator the display will show an improper fraction (d/c) or a mixed number [a b/c]. Here a is the integer part and b/c is the fraction part.
So, if you have [a b/c] type display the remainder is b.
If the result is displayed as an improper fraction, use [SHIFT][S<>D] to convert the improper fraction (d/c) to a b/c.

To configure the calculator to do fractions, set the Input/Output mode to MathIO.
Press [SHIFT][MODE] to open (SetUp) then select [1:MathIO].
After you set it to MathIO, pressing the fraction key will display a fraction template where you can enter numerator and denominator as you would by hand (horizontal fraction bar). Also, the calculator will display results as fractions and radicals whenever possible.
To perform arithmetic operations on fractions use the regular operation keys (x, +, -, /). The calculator will perform the operations and display the results as fractions (whenever possible).

Calculation results will be displayed using
fractions, r, and ?. When you press CHANGE, the display will cycle
through the following display styles:
• Mixed fractions (with or without ?) ? improper fractions (with
or without ?) ? decimal numbers
• Proper fractions (with or without ?) ? decimal numbers.

Hi eamon at hom,

Doing fraction on the Sharp El 531W really isn't that bad. I had to use pictures because, the symbols will not transfer over to your posting for me to show you. When you select the [ON/C] this clears the calculator of previous calculations and, data so that they won't interfere with your new calculations.

Let take the first example where a mix number is being added to a improper fraction. Because I used the [a^b/c] key this makes the calculator display the answer in a mixed fraction format or, a proper fraction format. If I press the [a^b/c] key again after the answer the format will change to a decimal format. The fractional formats are displayed in a mixed number, improper or, proper fraction formats. A improper fraction is really a proper fraction number with the top number (numerator) is greater than or equal to the bottom number (denominator).

[ON/C] [3] [a^b/c] [1] [ [a^b/c] [2] [+] [4] [a^b/c] [3] [=] mixed number results. Now let's do the same calculation as a improper or, proper fraction format.
[ON/C] [7] [a^b/c] [2] [+] [2] [a^b/c] [3] [=] still a mixed number result. Even though I enter the fractions in a improper and, proper fraction formats the calculator will still display in a mixed number format. This is because the calculator first displays as a mixed number if it can. If it can't then it will display the value as a proper fraction and, never as a improper fraction. To convert from a mixed number to a improper fraction format if the calculator did not convert it to a proper fraction, I have to use [2ndF] [d/c] keys on the command line.



This show a little more complex raised power use of the [a^b/c] key.

This shows the [2ndf] [x^-1] keys being used to calculate fractions.


When I first saw this question being asked it, was answered with just use the / command. Which that isn't really a good answer because, in math we like to use elimination. If you use the / command eventually the numbers are going to be rounded off and, your not going to be able to eliminate anything. If you have any further question on how to preform fractions with this calculator be sure to post your comment and, I'll be glad to help.

Hi william_kien,

The Ti 89 solves a lot of fraction problems by being in the right mode and, the use of several commands. One of my first problems here at Fixya was to find a solution for, "How do i convert a decimal answer to fractions prefferably with matrixes."

Here the problem was solved just by being in the EXACT mode.

Another fraction nightmare, so I thought was to solve for, "I want to solve a Binomial Theorem problem!" You have to go to the end of the problem but, I solved it just by the use of the expand command.

The best way to display fraction is in Pretty Print and, in the EXACT mode. Here is a small demonstration of the 3 mode setting in the Ti 89 and, the effect of each to the way a fraction is displayed.

This is a demonstration of the Ti 89 simplifying and, displaying in fractional form in the AUTO mode.

This is a demonstration of the Ti 89 making numbers proper and, displaying them in fractional form while in the EXACT mode.

This demonstration of the Ti 89 not even converting in fractional form and, displaying in the APPROX mode.

You should always use parentheses when entering equations or, fractions into the calculator. Pictured just below you can see how the Ti 89 can miss-interpret what is being entered.


The propFrac command is a great tool to reducing to the simplest form.
propFrac(expression,var). This will return an expression as a
proper expression




Sometime with joining or, combining fractions you have to get the common denominator. As you can see below the comDenom command is a great tool for that.


The Ti 89's ability to compute fractions is only limited to the ability and, knowledge of the person using it. Even though, it has a tendency of making a not so, mathematically inclined person look like they have been doing them all there life.

I just gave several ways I go about solving and, displaying fractions. The best way to display fraction is in Pretty Print and, in the EXACT mode. Sometimes that isn't even enough and, you have to use parentheses and, commands to do the job.

Enters a proper or improper fraction,
b?c (b { 6 digits, c { 3 digits). When
possible, improper fractions are
displayed as mixed numbers.
3 F 4 3?4
8 3 J 21?4
Single-variable functions display
decimal results.
1 F 2 0 0.25
a F b F c Enters the mixed fraction a b?c.
(a, b, c { 3 digits each, with the total
digits { 8).
6 F 4 F 6 64?6
J 62?3
"s Toggles display between a mixed
number and an improper fraction.
30 F 4 30?4
"s 71?2
"s 15?2
"s 71?2
"y Toggles display between fraction and
decimal.
55 F 24 55?24
"y 2.291666667
"y 27?24
If a result would overflow or if fixed decimal is 0, no
fraction to decimal conversion occurs. It is not an error.
Denominator must be a whole number {999.

If the fraction has just be typed in, press [SHIFT][=] instead of just [=] to get the result displayed as a fraction. However the fraction displayed will be the irreducible form of your fraction (equivalent but reduced to its simplest terms).

If you do not want fractions at all ( input and output)
Press [SHIFT][MODE] and select [2:LineIO]. This is the entry mode of the old generation of calculators.

The other IO mode is MthIO: In this mode fractions are entered as in textbooks, radicals are also entered as in a textbook. If by any chance you like this new IO format but just want the final results displayed as decimal, you can do your calculations in MthIO to get the result. Once displayed the result can be converted into decimal format by pressing the [S<>D] key.

If you enter an improper fraction or a mixed fraction with the the [a b/c] key it will be displayed as a fraction. This result being displayed you can press the [F-D] key to convert the fraction to decimal. If you do nothing else and you press the [F-D] key again, the original fraction will be restored.

However, it seems that you cannot enter an arbitrary decimal number and convert it to a fraction. The [F-D] key seems to work one way : from a fraction to a decimal number. You will only recover a fraction if the original number was a fraction.

Hello,
Once you enter a fraction the calculator calculates it and displays a decimal result.So basically you cannot do fraction manipulations. However you can convert a decimal result into a fraction. To do the conversion, you enter the decimal number then you Press [MATH] and [1]. ( -->Frac) The number will be converted.
Similarly you can enter a fraction to a decimal number (-->Dec)
[MATH] [2:] [ENTER]. But I see no point in doing that, because any fraction entered is displayed as a decimal number.

Hope it helps