What is a fraction?

Fractions are special numbers. Their digits are divided by a line! Learn how to write them down.

Notes

Fractions are numbers with their digits divided by a line

Fractions as divisions

The parts of a fraction

A fraction is a number.

Every time you read or write a division, you are reading or writing a fraction. £$14 : 6$£ is a division. Also, you can write it horizontally £$14/6$£ or vertically £$\dfrac{14}{6}$£.

Fractions have three parts: the line of fraction, the top number and the bottom number.

The number written above the line of fraction is the numerator: it tells us the number of parts we have.

The number written below the line of fraction is the denominator: it tells us the number of parts the whole has been divided into.

The line of fraction means "divided by".

Fractions as parts of a whole

Rita's cake has 10 equal slices. Every guest eats one slice.

The amount of cake that every guest eats is a fraction. Here is how a fraction is written: £$\dfrac{1}{10}$£. There are two ways to read it: "one of ten" or "one tenth".

A fraction is a part of a whole unit. The fraction £$\dfrac{1}{10}$£ means that you are taking one of ten equal parts.

How do you read the fraction £$\dfrac{2}{5}$£?