1.3 FRACTIONS

A fraction represents a part of a whole. It is a portion of a quantity or object.

For example, consider a circle divided into 8 equal parts:

– The shaded part represents
38
– The unshaded part represents
58

Components of a Fraction

All fractions consist of two components separated by a horizontal bar (fractional bar):

• Numerator: Number of parts being considered. Placed above the fractional bar.
• Denominator: Total number of equal parts the whole is divided into. Placed below the fractional bar.

Example:

38

• 3 → numerator (shaded parts)
• 8 → denominator (total parts)

Applications of Fractions

Fractions are used in everyday life and mathematics in many ways:

• Budgeting: Dividing total income into portions.
• Data presentation: Representing data, especially in pie charts.
• Discount calculations: Calculating amounts payable on discounted products.
• Division and simplification: Understanding proportional division.
• Sharing commodities: Dividing items in a given ratio.
• Formulas: Many formulae use fractions, e.g.,
  DistanceTime = Speed

Key Points

• Denominator: Indicates into how many equal parts the whole has been divided.
• Numerator: Indicates how many parts are selected or considered.
• Fractions are a visual and numeric representation of parts of a whole.