What Are Fractions
Fractions help you understand how to split something into equal parts. You do not always have a whole of something. Sometimes you only have part of it. You see fractions every day when you share food, pour drinks, bake, or cut something into pieces. Fractions show you how much you have out of the whole.
When you read a fraction you see two numbers. The top number is called the numerator. It shows how many parts you have. The bottom number is called the denominator. It shows how many equal parts make up the whole. For example in the fraction 3/4 the numerator is 3 and the denominator is 4. This means you have 3 out of 4 equal parts.
Why Fractions Are Important
Fractions help you share fairly. If you and your friend share a pizza and you cut it into 4 equal slices you can each have 2 slices. Fractions help you measure things when you cook or bake. If you need half a cup of sugar you are using a fraction. Fractions are also helpful when you compare different parts and see which is larger or smaller.
Equal Parts Matter
When you use fractions the parts must be equal. If you cut a cake into 4 pieces and one piece is much bigger than the others those pieces are not really fourths. For fractions to be true each part must be the same size. Always check that the pieces are equal.
Common Fractions You Will Use
You will often see halves, thirds, fourths, and eighths. One half means something is split into 2 equal parts and you have 1 part. One third means something is split into 3 equal parts and you have 1 part. One fourth means something is split into 4 equal parts and you have 1 part. Three fourths means you have 3 out of 4 equal parts. Two eighths means you have 2 out of 8 equal parts.
How Fractions Look
You can show fractions with numbers or with pictures. Drawing helps you see the parts clearly. For example you can draw a circle to show a pizza or a rectangle to show a chocolate bar. Shade in the parts you have and you can see what the fraction looks like. This makes it easier to understand what the numbers mean.
Real Life Example
Imagine you have a chocolate bar with 8 equal squares. If you eat 2 squares you have eaten 2/8 squares. This is 2/8. You can also see that 2/8 is the same as 1/4 because 2 is one fourth of 8. If you share a sandwich with one friend you cut it in half and each person gets 1/2.
Fractions Practice
Understanding Fractions
- If you cut an apple into 2 equal pieces and eat 1, what fraction did you eat?
- You cut a pizza into 8 equal slices and eat 3. What fraction did you eat?
- If you share a chocolate bar equally with 3 friends, what fraction does each person get?
- If you divide a cake into 4 equal parts and eat 1, what fraction did you eat?
- A sandwich is cut into 6 equal parts and you eat 2. What fraction did you eat?
- You cut a pie into 12 slices and eat 6. What fraction did you eat?
- If you share a chocolate bar equally with 1 friend, what fraction do you each get?
- If you have a pizza cut into 4 equal slices and eat 3, what fraction is left?
- If you have a pie cut into 8 slices and eat 2, what fraction is left?
- A chocolate bar is cut into 10 squares and you eat 4. What fraction did you eat?
Identifying and Drawing Fractions
- Draw a circle and shade in 1/2
- Draw a rectangle and shade in 1/3
- Draw a square and shade in 1/4
- Draw a circle and shade in 3/4
- Draw a rectangle and shade in 2/3
- Draw a square divided into 8 equal parts and shade in 2/8
- Draw a circle divided into 6 equal parts and shade in 4 parts
- Draw a rectangle divided into 12 equal parts and shade in half of it
- Draw two different shapes that each show 1/2
- Draw two different shapes that each show 1/4
Comparing Fractions
- Which is larger: 1/2 or 1/3?
- Which is smaller: 1/4 or 1/2?
- Which is larger: 2/4 or 1/4?
- Which fraction is greater: 3/8 or 1/8?
- Which is larger: 3/6 or 2/6?
- Which is smaller: 1/3 or 1/4?
- Which is greater: 5/8 or 4/8?
- Which fraction means more: 1/2 or 2/4?
- Which is smaller: 2/6 or 3/6?
- Which is larger: 1/2 or 4/8?
Word Problems
- You cut a cake into 8 equal pieces and eat 3. What fraction did you eat?
- You share a pizza equally with 3 friends. What fraction does each person get?
- You divide 12 cookies equally among 4 people. What fraction does each person get?
- You slice a pie into 6 equal parts and give 2 slices to your friend. What fraction did you give?
- You have a chocolate bar cut into 10 equal squares and eat 5. What fraction did you eat?
- A pizza has 12 slices. You eat 4. What fraction did you eat?
- You bake a tray of brownies and cut them into 8 squares. You eat 2. What fraction did you eat?
- You share a pack of 10 cookies equally with 1 friend. What fraction does each person get?
- You pour half a glass of juice from a full glass. What fraction is left?
- You cut a sandwich into 4 equal parts and eat 1. What fraction is left?