Let R be an integral domain. The fraction field Frac(R) is the set of equivalence classes of pairs (a,b)∈R×R with b=0, under
(a,b)∼(c,d)⟺ad=bc.
Write the class of (a,b) as a/b. Addition and multiplication are defined by
ba+dc=bdad+bc,ba⋅dc=bdac,
and these operations make Frac(R) a field. The map R↪Frac(R), a↦a/1, is an injective ring map.
Universal property. If K is a field and ι:R→K is a ring monomorphism, then there exists a unique field homomorphism ι~:Frac(R)→K with ι~(a/1)=ι(a) for all a∈R.