Fractions and their meaning

A fraction represents a part of one whole thing. A fraction indicates that something has been cut or divided into a number of equal parts. For example, a pie has been divided into four equal parts. If you eat one piece of the pie, you have taken one part out of four parts. This part of the pie can be represented by the fraction 1/4. The remaining portion of the pie, which consists of¹ three of the four equal parts of the pie, is represented by the fraction² 3/4.

In a fraction the upper and lower numbers are called the terms of the fraction. The horizontal line separating the two numbers in each fraction is called the fraction line. The top term of a fraction or the term above the fraction line is called numerator; the bottom term or the term below the fraction line is called the denominator.

A fraction may stand for³ part of a group. There is a group 5 apples. Each is-1/5 (one fifth) of the group. If we take away 2 apples, we say that we are removing 2/5 of the number of apples present. If we take away 3 apples, we are removing 3/5 of the apples present. In this instance, a fraction is being used to stand for a part of a group.

A fraction also indicates division. For example: one apple was divided into eight parts and the man has eaten one part. Therefore he has eaten 1/8 of the apple. How much of the apple is left? How many eighths are in the whole apple?

Principle to Remember. If in any fraction the numerator and denominator are equal, the fraction is equal to 1.

Notes:

¹ to consist of — состоять из

² is represented by (the fraction) — представлено (дробью)

³ may stand for- может означать