Fractions Vocabulary

Objective

Know the main vocabulary used when discussing fractions

Example

Which number in the fraction below is a denominator?

Answer: 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Explanation

Knowing the names for the parts of a fraction helps us communicate clearly. Otherwise, we have to say things like "that number up there on top" or "that fraction over there with the big number in front".

There are 3 numbers in a fraction

Numerator

• The top number

• Tells you how many parts you have

Denominator

• The bottom number

• Tells you how many parts you need to make a whole

Whole Number

• The number in front

• Tells you how many wholes you have

There are also 3 types of fractions

Proper Fraction

• Numerator is smaller than the denominator

Improper Fraction

• Numerator is bigger than the denominator

Mixed Number

• Has a whole number

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Examples

Example 1

Which number in the fraction below is a whole number?

Answer: 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Example 2

Which of the fractions below is a proper fraction?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ready?