A lot of folks are afraid of fractions, but the truth is that we use fractions every day. Every time we use money, measure something, or tell time, we are using fractions.
A fraction is simply this: a part of a whole. The top number is the part and the bottom number is the whole.
A penny is 1/100 of a dollar, because 1 dollar and 100 pennies are the same thing. A quarter is 1/4 of a dollar, because 1 dollar and 4 quarters are the same thing.
And inch is 1/12 of a foot, because 1 foot and 12 inches are the same thing. A foot is 1/3 yard because 1 yard and 3 feet are the same thing.
A minute is 1/60 of an hour, because 1 hour and 60 minutes are the same thing. 15 minutes is 1/4 of an hour because there are four sets of 15 minutes in an hour.
The most common way that fractions are taught is with pizza. Most pizzas are cut into 8 slices, so if we have 8 slices, we have one pizza. Therefore, a slice is 1/8 of a pizza. If two friends share a pizza, and each person eats 4 slices, then each person has eaten 4 slices out of 8, or 4/8, which is the same as 1/2.
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