What's A Fraction?

A fraction is a number. It is a number written as the ratio or comparison of two numbers. The top number is compared to the bottom number. The numerator is compared to the denominator.

What's the Job of the Top Number?

The number on the top of the fraction is the numerator, the NUMBERER . It states "how many pieces are involved."

What's the Job of the Bottom Number?

The number on the bottom of the fraction is the denominator, the NAMER . It states "the name of the size of the piece." It is the number of equal pieces in one whole."

So, What Is A Fraction?

A fraction is a number written so as to compare the number of pieces involved to the number of pieces in one whole.

The fraction one-half, written in symbols as 1/2, means "one piece, where it takes two pieces to make a whole." The fraction a half, written in symbols as 1/2, means "one piece, where it takes two pieces to make a whole."

The fraction one-fourth, written in symbols as 1/4, means "one piece, where it takes four pieces to make a whole." The fraction one-quarter, written in symbols as 1/4, means "one piece, where it takes 4 pieces to make a whole."

The fraction three-quarters, written in symbols as 3/4, means "three pieces, where it takes four pieces to make a whole."

The fraction six-eighths, written in symbols as 6/8, means "six pieces, where it takes eight pieces to make a whole."

When Are Two Different Fractions Equal?

Two fractions are equal when they name the same number. It is often the case that two fractions are equal. One-half (1/2) names the same number as two-quarters (2/4), or as three sixths (3/6), or as four-eights (4/8). Three-fourths (3/4) is equal to six-eights (6/8) because they are different ways of expressing the same number.

This is a page from the dictionary MATH SPOKEN HERE!, published in 1995 by MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS, inc., ISBN: 0-9623593-5-1.   You are hereby granted permission to make ONE printed copy of this page and its picture(s) for your PERSONAL and not-for-profit use.

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