What is a fraction?
A fraction is part of a whole.
Each part of a fraction is equal to one another.
Let me show you with a picture.
A fraction is part of a whole.
Each part of a fraction is equal to one another.
Let me show you with a picture.
The picture above shows parts of a circle colored green. The whole circle contains 3 equal parts; 2 out of the 3 parts are shaded green.
The fraction of the circle is:
Let's practice!
How many equal parts are shaded blue out of the whole?
Write the fraction shown in the picture:
How many equal parts are shaded blue out of the whole?
Write the fraction shown in the picture:
Did you figure it out?
In the picture above, 3 out of the 4 parts of the circle are shaded blue.
The fraction of the picture is written:
Now, you might be wondering why we write fractions with a number on top of another number, with a line in between.
The number on top is called the numerator.
The number on the bottom is called the denominator.
The numerator is how many parts you have; the denominator is the amount of parts in the whole.
Take a look at the picture below and answer these questions:
What is the numerator?
What is the denominator?
The amount of parts shaded is 3, the numerator.
The total amount of parts is 6, denominator.
Different Ways of Representing Fractions
There are different ways to represent fractions:
1. Fraction Circle
2. Part of a group
3. Number Line
4. Fraction Bar
In the examples above, I used fraction circles to teach fractions. Fraction circles are of the most common representations of fractions.
These representations don't always have to be circles, they can be any shape, however, circles are commonly used.
1. Fraction Circle
2. Part of a group
3. Number Line
4. Fraction Bar
In the examples above, I used fraction circles to teach fractions. Fraction circles are of the most common representations of fractions.
These representations don't always have to be circles, they can be any shape, however, circles are commonly used.
Click the button below to practice identifying fractions in fraction circles.
Part of a group
Fractions can be represented as part of a group.
In the picture below there are colored circles.
In the picture below there are colored circles.
What fraction of the group of circles is the color yellow?
First step is to count the amount of circles that are yellow; 3 circles are yellow. The number 3 is your numerator.
If you count, there are 8 total circles. The 8 is your denominator because it is the total amount of parts in the whole.
The fraction of yellow circles in the group is:
What fraction of the group of circles is the color yellow?
First step is to count the amount of circles that are yellow; 3 circles are yellow. The number 3 is your numerator.
If you count, there are 8 total circles. The 8 is your denominator because it is the total amount of parts in the whole.
The fraction of yellow circles in the group is:
Practice! Answer these following questions:
What fraction of the circles is the color green?
What fraction of the circles is the color yellow?
What fraction of the circles is the color blue?
Number line
Fractions can also be represented as a number line.
Take a look at some pictures below of fractions as a number line.
Take a look at some pictures below of fractions as a number line.
Practice! Play these fun game below to identify fractions on a number line:
Practice! Play these fun game below to identify fractions on a number line:
Fraction Bar
Fraction bars are similar to fraction number lines. It is another great way to visualize and represent fractions.
Take a look at some pictures below of fraction bars.
Take a look at some pictures below of fraction bars.
Use the button below to explore fraction bars!
https://kids.wordsmyth.net/we/?ent=equal
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/numerator
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/denominator
http://mathematics.hellam.net/maths2000/fraction1.html
http://www.fractionmonkeys.co.uk/activity/
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/SingleFractionFinder/
http://www.taw.org.uk/demo/mathematics/shapes/fractionStrip.htm
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/numerator
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/denominator
http://mathematics.hellam.net/maths2000/fraction1.html
http://www.fractionmonkeys.co.uk/activity/
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/SingleFractionFinder/
http://www.taw.org.uk/demo/mathematics/shapes/fractionStrip.htm