Fraction - Definition, Types, Examples & Resources

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Fraction illustration for Kids

What is a Fraction?


A fraction is a way of showing parts of a whole (whether objects or values). It involves dividing something into equal sections and showing how many of those portions you have or have been taken.


The Whole

Fraction Example With Chocolate

The Fractions or Sections

Fraction Example
Lights on

The word "fraction" is derived from the Latin word fractio, which means "a breaking" or "a broken piece." This comes from the verb frangere, meaning "to break." So, basically, a fraction refers to something that has been divided or broken into parts.


What Are Fractions Used for in Everyday Life?

Fractions are really useful in everyday life. You can use them in activities like:


  • Cooking:
  • Recipes use fractions to show how much of an ingredient you need.
    For example, you might need "1/2 cup of flour" or "1/4 cup of milk" to make a tasty treat.


  • Time:
  • We use fractions to talk about time,
    like 1/4 of an hour (which is 15 minutes) or 1/2 of a day (which is 12 hours).


  • Construction:
  • In building or craft projects, you use fractions.
    For example, you might need to cut a piece of wood to be 1/4 of a meter long, or a piece of rope might be 5/8 of a yard.


  • Sharing:
  • If you're sharing a pizza or splitting a treat with friends, fractions help you divide things equally.
    For example, if you have a pizza and 4 friends, each person gets 1/4 of the pizza.


  • Finance:
  • Fractions help us understand and manage money.
    For example, if something costs $0.50, you can think of it as 1/2 dollar.


Example of a Fraction

This visual representation can greatly enhance the understanding of fractions. Here you can visualize how it works:


- Imagine you have 4 friends and you have a whole pizza. If you want to share the pizza equally, you would divide it into 4 equal slices. Each of your friends would get then 1/4 (one-fourth) of the pizza.

Fraction Example With Pizza

- And this is what the pizza would look like once it is divided into equal parts.

Fraction Example With Pizza Divided Into Fourths

Parts of a Fraction

The parts of a fraction

The parts of a fraction are 3:


  • Numerator:
  • The top number shows how many parts of the fraction are being used or selected. It’s written above the line in a fraction.

  • Fraction Bar:
  • The fraction bar is the line that separates the top number (numerator) and the bottom number (denominator).

  • Denominator:
  • The bottom number shows how many parts the whole is split into. It's written below the line in a fraction.

Understanding Fraction Names

Fractions have special names based on their value, which makes it easier to understand and talk about them in common situations.
Here are a few examples:


  • One-half, which is written as ½:
  • It means you have one of the two equal parts you get when you divide something in half.

    One Half Fraction example
  • Two-thirds, which is written as :
  • It means you have two parts of something that was split into three equal pieces.

    Two thirds fraction example
  • Four-sixths, which is written as 4/6:
  • It means you have four parts of something that was divided into six equal pieces.

    Four Sixths Fraction example
  • Five-eighths, which is written as 5/8:
  • It means you have five parts of something that was split into eight equal pieces.

    Five eighths fraction example

    There are also other names like one-seventh (1/7), four-ninths (4/9), two-tenths (2/10), two-fifths (2/5), five-twelfths (5/12), and many more!

    Start to practice your fraction skills with this interactive training board!

    Types of Fractions

    Fractions have different types based on the numerator and denominator, as shown below:


  • Unit Fractions
  • A unit fraction is a fraction where the top number (numerator) is 1, and the bottom number (denominator) is any whole number. For example,
    ½,
    ⅓,
    ¼,

    What is a Unit Fraction?
  • Proper Fractions
  • A proper fraction is a fraction where the top number (numerator) is smaller than the bottom number (denominator). So, in a proper fraction, you have less than one whole. For Example,
    ¼,
    ⅖,
    ⅛,

    What is a Proper Fraction?
  • Improper Fractions
  • An improper fraction is a fraction where the top number (numerator) is bigger than or equal to the bottom number (denominator). For Example,
    2/1,
    4/2,
    7/5,
    9/8,

    What is an Improper Fraction?
  • Mixed Fractions
  • A mixed fraction is a combination of a whole number and a fraction. It’s when you have more than one whole thing, but you still have a little bit left over. For example,
    4⅕ = 21/5,
    5/4 = 1¼,
    9/4 = 2¼,
    15/8 = 1⅞

    What is a Mixed Fraction?
  • Like Fractions
  • Like fractions are fractions that have the same bottom number (denominator). This means they are divided into the same number of equal parts, so they are easy to compare or add together. For example,
    ⅕ + ⅖ , or
    ⅞ + ⅝

    What is a Like Fraction?
  • Unlike Fractions
  • Unlike fractions are fractions that have different bottom numbers (denominators). This means they are divided into parts of different sizes, so they are not the same. For example,
    ⅙ + ⅘ or
    ⅖ + ⅛

    What is an Unlike Fraction?
  • Equivalent Fractions
  • Equivalent fractions are fractions that may look different, but they represent the same amount or value. Even though the numbers are different, they still show the same thing. For example,
    ½ = 2/4, or
    ⅖ = 4/10

    What is an Equivalent Fraction?

    More Resources

    Adding Like Fractions - Online Practice Tool

    Adding Like Fractions - Online Tool

    Practice
    Fraction Wheel - Manipulative Tool

    Fraction Wheel - Manipulative Tool

    Play
    My Little Kitchen - Fraction Game

    My Little Kitchen - Fraction Game

    Play
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