A fraction is a number that represents a part of a whole or a collection of equal parts. It is written with two numbers separated by a line: the numerator on the top and the denominator on the bottom. The numerator indicates how many parts are taken, while the denominator shows into how many equal parts the whole is divided
. For example, if a cake is divided into 8 equal pieces and you take 1 piece, that piece is represented by the fraction 18\frac{1}{8}81, meaning one out of eight equal parts
. Fractions can describe parts of shapes, lengths, numbers, or sets of objects, and the parts must be equal in size
. Fractions also represent division and ratios; for instance, 34\frac{3}{4}43 means 3 parts out of 4 equal parts, and can be interpreted as 3 divided by 4 or the ratio 3:4
. In summary:
- Numerator (top number): number of parts taken
- Denominator (bottom number): total equal parts in the whole
- Fraction = part of a whole divided into equal parts
Adding fractions with the same denominator sums the parts, e.g., 12+12=1\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{2}=121+21=1
. Types of fractions include common fractions, improper fractions, equivalent fractions, and more
. Thus, a fraction is a way to express a portion or section of a whole in a precise numerical form
