How to change a decimal to a fraction on a calculator ti 84

Your TI-84 Plus can draw graphs, calculate logarithms and exponents, crunch matrices and even do calculus. The bad news is that with this much power packed into one calculator, there simply isn't room for every function on the keyboard. Case in point, the TI-84 Plus lacks a straightforward single button for entering fractions or mixed numbers – but you can still get there by using a few extra keystrokes.

Entering Fractions on Your TI-84 Plus

Press the Alpha key on the upper left of your TI-84 Plus keypad. Then press the Y= key, located just below the calculator's screen. This brings up a series of shortcut menus; the first menu, FRAC, controls the input of fractions and mixed numbers.

Press Enter (located in the lower right corner of the calculator) to select the n/d function. This brings up the template for creating a fraction.

Input the numerator of your fraction (the number on top of the fraction line). Then use the down button to navigate to the denominator and enter its value. You can use this process for entering fractions at any point that your TI-84 Plus allows input.

Entering Mixed Numbers

You can also use the FRAC menu to enter mixed numbers on your TI-84 Plus calculator. As with entering fractions, press ALPHA and then Y= to bring up the FRAC menu. Then use the arrow keys to select the second option in the menu, Un/d. This brings up the template for entering a mixed number. Enter the whole number first, and then use the arrow keys to mouse through the template as you enter the numerator and denominator too.

Other Options in the FRAC Menu

There are two other entries in the FRAC menu. Selecting the third option converts improper fractions into mixed numbers, and vice versa. So if your results appear in improper fraction form and you'd like to see them as a mixed number instead, select this function. The fourth option converts fractions to decimals and back again.

Setting the Results Mode

You can also use the TI-84 Plus's mode settings to determine how your answers are shown. The default settings are that if you use fractions in an operation, the result will be shown in fractions; and that mixed numbers will be displayed as an improper fraction. To change these settings, press the MODE button. Your current settings will be highlighted on the screen. Use the arrow keys to navigate and Enter to select new settings:

• Select n/d if you want your results to be shown as an improper fraction when possible.
  
• Select Un/d if you'd rather see your results as a mixed number (again, when possible).
• In the next option down, highlight and select Dec if you'd like your results to default into decimal form, Frac if you'd like them to default into fraction form and Auto if you'd like them to appear in the same form as your original input.

The TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator offers the ability to use fractions in calculations, but these options are hidden away in the calculator’s menus. Once you learn how to use these functions, you will be able to calculate using fractions, convert between fractions and decimals, and convert between improper and mixed numbers.

Ready to learn how? Let’s get started!

Typing a Fraction

To access the FRAC menu (the fraction menu), press the [Alpha] key, and then the [y=] key.

A menu should then be shown. To create a fraction, select the first option: “n/d”, by pressing [enter].

Now, you should see an empty fraction template. Fill in the boxes with the numerator and denominator of the fraction. You can navigate between the two boxes by using the arrow keys. For example, if you want to enter the fraction 3/4, you could enter it like this:

To escape the fraction and to continue typing more numbers, press the right arrow key.

You can now type the rest of the expression you are trying to calculate. Don’t forget to go back to the FRAC menu and reselect “n/d” every time you want to create a fraction!

Notice that the calculator helpfully simplifies fractions for us!

Using Mixed Numbers

You may have noticed that in the FRAC menu, directly below the fraction option, there is a similar option titled “Un/d”. This is the mixed number option. Selecting it will allow us to type mixed numbers.

If you would like to convert mixed numbers to improper fractions or vice versa, you can select the third option, titled “>n/d<>Un/d”. Placing this operation after a mixed or improper fraction will convert it into the opposite form.

Converting Between Fractions and Decimals

We have now arrived at the last option in the FRAC menu. The fourth option, titled “>F<>D” allows us to convert decimals to fractions, or fractions to decimals.

It works similarly to the mixed/improper number converter. All we have to do is place it after a decimal or fraction, and it will be converted into the opposite form. Take a look at this example:

If this article helped you out, do be sure to check out the rest of the articles we have here on TI84CalcWiz! We have games you can put on your calculator, programs to make your life easier, and more!

How do you turn decimals into fractions?