What is a fraction?

A fraction is a way of representing division of a 'whole' into 'parts'. It has the form


where the
Numerator is the number of parts chosen
and the
Denominator is the total number of parts.

Some examples of fractions:

A graphical example of fraction 1/3 is shown by the pie chart below. The pie is divided into 3 equal parts. The blue part is equal to one third of the pie, thus 1/3.

A graphical example of fraction 2/5 is shown by the marching men below. There are five marching men in the illustration. There are 2 men in orange uniform, thus 2/5.

A graphical example of fraction 7/8 is shown by the apples below. A box holds 8 apples. One apple is missing from the box. There are 7 apples left in the box, thus 7/8.