Convert Fraction String to Decimal?

Question

I\'m trying to create a javascript function that can take a fraction input string such as \'3/2\' and convert it to decimal—either as a string \'1.5\'

Answer 1

const fractionStringToNumber = s => s.split("/").map(s => Number(s)).reduce((a, b) => a / b);

console.log(fractionStringToNumber("1/2"));
console.log(fractionStringToNumber("1/3"));
console.log(fractionStringToNumber("3/2"));
console.log(fractionStringToNumber("3/1"));
console.log(fractionStringToNumber("22/7"));
console.log(fractionStringToNumber("355 / 113"));
console.log(fractionStringToNumber("8/4/2"));

console.log(fractionStringToNumber("3")); // => 3, not "3"

Answer 2

Here is the bare bones minimal code needed to do this:

var a = "3/2";
var split = a.split('/');
var result = parseInt(split[0], 10) / parseInt(split[1], 10);
alert(result); // alerts 1.5

JsFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/XS4VE/

Things to consider:

• division by zero
• if the user gives you an integer instead of a fraction, or any other invalid input
• rounding issues (like 1/3 for example)

Answer 3

Something like this:

bits = fraction.split("/");
return parseInt(bits[0],10)/parseInt(bits[1],10);

Answer 4

It works with eval() method but you can use parseFloat method. I think it is better! Unfortunately it will work only with that kind of values - "12.2" not with "5/8", but since you can handle with calculation I think this is good approach!

Answer 5

Function (ES6):

function fractionToDecimal(fraction) {
  return fraction
    .split('/')
    .reduce((numerator, denominator, i) =>
      numerator / (i ? denominator : 1)
    );
}

Function (ES6, condensed):

function fractionToDecimal(f) {
  return f.split('/').reduce((n, d, i) => n / (i ? d : 1));
}

Examples:

fractionToDecimal('1/2');     // 0.5
fractionToDecimal('5/2');     // 2.5
fractionToDecimal('1/2/2');   // 0.25
fractionToDecimal('10/5/10'); // 0.2
fractionToDecimal('0/1');     // 0
fractionToDecimal('1/0');     // Infinity
fractionToDecimal('cat/dog'); // NaN

Answer 6

From a readability, step through debugging perspective, this may be easier to follow:

// i.e. '1/2' -> .5
// Invalid input returns 0 so impact on upstream callers are less likely to be impacted
function fractionToNumber(fraction = '') {
    const fractionParts = fraction.split('/');
    const numerator = fractionParts[0] || '0';
    const denominator = fractionParts[1] || '1';
    const radix = 10;
    const number = parseInt(numerator, radix) / parseInt(denominator, radix);
    const result = number || 0;

    return result;
}