Geometry
Fractions of shapes
A fraction is an equal part of a whole shape. In this section you will learn about halves, quarters and three-quarters, and how fractions can mean sharing equally.
Equal parts
A fraction is made of equal parts. If a shape is cut into parts that are not equal, they are not fractions. Each equal piece is a fraction of the whole shape.
Halves
When a shape is split into 2 equal parts, each part is a half. Two halves make a whole.
Quarters and three-quarters
When a shape is split into 4 equal parts, each part is a quarter. Four quarters make a whole, and two quarters make a half. Three-quarters is 3 of the 4 equal parts.
Fractions mean sharing
Fractions can mean sharing equally. If 4 friends share a pizza equally, each friend gets a quarter. The more parts you share into, the smaller each part becomes: a half is bigger than a quarter.
Worked examples
Naming a half
- A shape is split into 2 equal parts.
- One of those 2 equal parts is coloured.
Answer: The coloured part is a half.
Naming a quarter
- A shape is split into 4 equal parts.
- One of those 4 equal parts is coloured.
Answer: The coloured part is a quarter.
Three-quarters
- A shape is split into 4 equal parts.
- Colour 3 of the 4 equal parts.
Answer: The coloured amount is three-quarters.
Sharing a pizza
- A pizza is shared equally between 4 friends.
- That makes 4 equal parts, one for each friend.
Answer: Each friend gets a quarter of the pizza.
Where you see this in real life
- Sharing a pizza equally between 4 people.
- Cutting a sandwich into 2 halves.
- Sharing a bar of chocolate fairly.
Key words
- Fraction
- An equal part of a whole.
- Equal parts
- Parts that are all the same size.
- Half
- One of 2 equal parts of a whole.
- Quarter
- One of 4 equal parts of a whole.
- Three-quarters
- Three of the 4 equal parts of a whole.