Page 67 - Math Skill - 4

Fractions 65

Fraction as a Part of a Whole

Fraction means a part of a whole.
Take a cut-out of a circle and divide it into two equal parts. Shade one part.
This shaded part is one-half of the whole. So, we call it one-half and read it as
one by two or one over two.

1
It is represented as .
2
Similarly, take a cut-out of another circle and divide it into three equal parts.
Shade one part. This shaded part is one-third of the whole. So, we call it one-
third and read it as one by three or one over three.
In the similar way, we represent different fractions:

1 1 1
Shaded part = Shaded part = Shaded part =
3 4 8
2 3 7
Unshaded part = Unshaded part = Unshaded part =
3 4 8

Fractions and Fractional Numbers

2
1
1
1
1
When numbers are represented in figures or symbols like , , , , , etc. then they are
2 3 3 4 5
known as fractions. Representing the fractions in words like one-half, one-third, two-thirds,
etc. are called fractional numbers.
Figure Shaded part Fraction Fractional Number

4
4 parts out of 7 Four-sevenths
7

1 part out of 8 1 One-eighth
8

Numerator and Denominator of a Fraction
A fraction is always written with two numerals arranged one over the other and separated by
a line. The numeral above the line is called the numerator and the numeral below the line is
called the denominator.

Numerator
Fraction =
Denominator

7
i.e. In , we have numerator = 7 and denominator = 9

9