What is a fraction?

Hello, and welcome to Myriora Maths! Here's a cake. Let's share it fairly between two people. We cut it into two equal pieces, and each person gets one half. A half is a fraction. Let's find out what fractions are!

A fraction is a part of a whole. The whole is cut into equal parts: all the same size. This bar is cut into four equal parts. Each part is one quarter.

We write a fraction with two numbers and a line. The bottom number tells you how many equal parts the whole is cut into. The top number tells you how many parts we take. So one quarter is written as one, over four.

Now let's colour in three parts. That's three quarters: three, over four. If we colour in all four parts, that's four quarters: the whole bar!

A fraction can also be a part of a group. Here are five apples. Two of them are red. So two fifths of the apples are red: two, over five.

Let's try one together. This pizza is cut into eight equal slices. Three slices have been eaten. What fraction has been eaten? Say it out loud!

Three eighths! The pizza has eight equal slices, so the bottom number is eight. Three have been eaten, so the top number is three.

Here's a question that catches lots of people. Is this bar cut into quarters? It has four pieces, so some people say yes. But the pieces aren't the same size! Quarters must be four equal parts.

Your turn! Which picture shows one quarter coloured in? Pick the right card. You've got fifteen seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! This one has three parts, so that's one third. This one has four parts, but they aren't equal. And this one has four equal parts, with one coloured in: one quarter!

Quick review. A fraction is a part of a whole, or a part of a group. The parts must be equal. The bottom number says how many equal parts. The top number says how many we take. See you next time!