Fractions One Half One Third One Fourth

Fractions represent parts of a whole. 1/2 means one half, or 1 part out of 2 equal parts. 1/3 means one third, or 1 part out of 3. 1/4 means one fourth (or quarter), 1 part out of 4. The bottom number tells you how many equal parts the whole is split into.

Cut a pizza into 2 equal pieces: each piece is 1/2. Cut it into 3 equal pieces: each is 1/3. Cut into 4: each is 1/4. Cut into 8: each is 1/8. The MORE pieces you cut into, the SMALLER each piece becomes. 1/2 is bigger than 1/4, because halves are bigger than quarters.

1/2 of a dollar = 50 cents. 1/4 of an hour = 15 minutes. 1/3 of a yard = 1 foot. 1/2 of 10 = 5. 1/4 of 20 = 5. 1/3 of 12 = 4. To find a fraction of a whole, divide. 1/2 of 8 means 8 ÷ 2 = 4. 1/4 of 16 means 16 ÷ 4 = 4.

Fractions are built into clocks (half past, quarter to), money (half dollar, quarter), and recipes (1/2 cup sugar). They are one of the most useful math tools in daily life. As kids get older, fractions become a huge part of math — adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing them.