Fractions of shapes
Fractions of a shape
A fraction shows equal parts of a whole. This unit explores thirds, fifths and tenths.
The two numbers in a fraction
The bottom number is the denominator ā it tells you how many equal parts the whole is split into. The top number is the numerator ā it tells you how many of those parts you have. Example: 2/5 means 2 parts out of 5 equal parts.
Thirds, fifths and tenths
ā¢ Splitting a whole into 3 equal parts makes thirds. ā¢ Into 5 equal parts makes fifths. ā¢ Into 10 equal parts makes tenths. The parts must always be equal in size.
Sharing equally
If a pizza with 10 equal slices is shared between 10 people, each person gets 1 slice ā that is one-tenth (1/10) of the pizza.
Worked examples
Naming a fraction of a shape
- A circle is split into 5 equal parts and 2 are red.
- The denominator is 5 (equal parts) and the numerator is 2 (red parts).
Answer: Two-fifths (2/5) of the circle is red.
Numerator and denominator
- Look at the fraction 3/5.
- The bottom number is the denominator; the top number is the numerator.
Answer: The denominator is 5 and the numerator is 3.
Sharing to make a fraction
- A pizza has 5 equal slices shared between 5 friends.
- Each friend gets 1 of the 5 equal slices.
Answer: Each friend gets one-fifth (1/5) of the pizza.
Where you see this in real life
- Sharing a pizza equally between friends.
- Cutting a cake into equal slices.
- Saying it is 'quarter past' the hour on a clock.
Key words
- Numerator
- The top number of a fraction ā how many parts you have.
- Denominator
- The bottom number ā how many equal parts the whole is split into.
- Thirds
- The parts when a whole is split into 3 equal parts.
- Fifths
- The parts when a whole is split into 5 equal parts.
- Tenths
- The parts when a whole is split into 10 equal parts.