What Are Fractions?

🎯 What Will We Learn Today?

Have you ever shared a pizza or a candy bar? Then you've used fractions! Today we'll learn what fractions are and how to read them.

📚 What Is a Fraction?

A fraction describes part of a whole. It tells us how many equal parts we have out of the total number of equal parts.

When we write ½, it means "one out of two equal parts" — one half.

📖 Parts of a Fraction

`
numerator → 1 (how many parts we have)
───
denominator → 2 (total number of equal parts)
`

Numerator (top): How many parts we're talking about

Denominator (bottom): How many equal parts the whole is divided into

🍕 Fraction Examples

A pizza cut into 4 equal slices:

1 slice = ¼ (one quarter)

2 slices = 2/4 = ½ (one half)

3 slices = ¾ (three quarters)

4 slices = 4/4 = 1 (the whole pizza)

📊 Common Fractions

| Fraction | Name | Visual |
|----------|------|--------|
| ½ | One half | ◐ |
| ⅓ | One third | ◴ |
| ¼ | One quarter | ◷ |
| ¾ | Three quarters | ◵ |

💡 Key Rules

The bigger the denominator, the smaller each piece

½ > ⅓ > ¼ — bigger denominator = smaller fraction!

All parts must be equal size

📝 Practice Problems

What fraction of a pizza is 1 slice out of 6 equal slices?

Which is bigger: ½ or ⅓? Why?

If a candy bar has 8 pieces and you eat 2, what fraction did you eat?

Write the fraction for "three out of five."

True or false: 4/4 equals 1 whole.

🎮 Play a Game!

Practice fractions with Dirt Bike Fractions — race while learning!