Fractions Name Equal Parts of a Whole
Lumi stands at a wooden picnic table outdoors, carefully cutting a round pizza into six equal slices and lifting one slice onto a plate while grinning at the camera.
- Explain what a fraction is using the words 'equal parts' and 'whole'.
- Identify the denominator of a fraction and state what it tells you.
- Identify the numerator of a fraction and state what it tells you.
- Represent a fraction by shading equal parts of a shape divided into equal sections.
Key terms
- Fraction
- A way to name equal parts of a whole.
- Numerator
- The top number that counts your parts.
- Denominator
- The bottom number that counts all parts.
- Whole
- The full thing before it is cut up.
What a Fraction Means
A fraction tells about equal parts of one whole thing. Think of a pizza cut into equal slices. If you take some slices, a fraction names how much you have. We write it with two numbers, one on top and one on the bottom, with a line between them. The fraction helps us talk about parts of things, like part of a pie, part of a candy bar, or part of a day.
Top and Bottom Numbers
Every fraction has a top number and a bottom number. The bottom number is the denominator. It tells how many equal pieces the whole was cut into. The top number is the numerator. It tells how many of those pieces you have. In the fraction 2/3, the 3 means three equal parts, and the 2 means you have two of them. Both numbers work together to tell the whole story.
Worked examples
Write the fraction for 3 of 4 equal slices.
- The whole was cut into 4 equal parts, so 4 is the bottom number.
- You have 3 of those parts, so 3 is the top number.
- Write the top over the bottom: 3/4.
Answer: 3/4
Activity
Shade the correct number of equal parts to match the fraction shown.
Practice
A pie is cut into 8 equal slices and you eat 3.
In the fraction 2/5, what does the bottom number tell you?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Any pieces can be a fraction.No. The pieces must be equal in size to name a real fraction.
- The top number counts all the parts.No. The bottom number counts all parts; the top counts only yours.
Check your understanding
A granola bar is cut into 5 equal pieces. Maya eats 2 pieces. Which fraction shows how much Maya ate?
Look at a square cut into 4 parts. One part is very big and three parts are tiny. A student shades one part and says she shaded 1/4 of the square. Is she correct?
In the fraction 3/8, what does the 8 tell you?
Recap
A fraction names equal parts of one whole. The bottom number tells how many equal parts there are, and the top number tells how many of those parts you have right now.
Reflect
What food do you like to share in equal parts with others?