1) Fractions represent parts of a whole. A fraction like 3/6 tells you that you have 3 out of the 6 equal slices of a pizza. 2) Fractions can be proper (numerator less than denominator), improper (numerator greater than denominator), or mixed (combination of whole number and fraction). 3) To add or subtract fractions, they must have a common denominator so they represent the same sized parts. You just add or subtract the numerators. 4) Improper fractions can also be written as mixed numbers by representing full wholes and any remaining fractional parts.

1. Name ________________________
Fractions are numbers that tell how many parts of a
whole. If you cut a pizza into 6 equal slices, you can
use fractions to tell what part of the pizza you have.
1 2 3
6 6 6
4 5 6
6 6 6
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2. NUMERATOR
3 tells how many parts we have
4 DENOMINATOR
tells how many parts the whole is
divided into
Proper Fraction 3
a part of 1 whole
numerator < denominator 4
Improper Fraction
one or more wholes, 12
and part of another
whole 5
numerator > denominator
Mixed Number
the same as an
2
improper fraction, but
written as a whole 2 5
number and a proper
fraction
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3. You can slice a pizza different ways, but if all the pieces
are there it is still one whole pizza. If the numerator and
denominator are the same, the fraction equals 1.
2 3 4
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
5 6 7 8
One pie has been cut into 8
equal pieces. The other has
8 2
been cut into 2 equal pieces. =
8 2
You can see that 4 pieces of
one pie is the same amount
of pie as 1 piece of the other
pie. They are equal. 4 1
=
8 2
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4. To add fractions, both fractions must have the same
denominator. That means that in both fractions the whole
must be divided into the same number of pieces. Then,
just add the numerators.
2 + 3 = 5
8 8 8
Just like when adding fractions, both fractions must have
the same denominator to subtract them. Then, subtract
the numerators.
5 - 4 = 1
6 6 6
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5. These are easy to spot because the top number is
bigger than the bottom number. Here’s why:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
How many halves are colored?
The answer is 7. 7
So there are seven halves, or 2
Improper fractions can also be written as mixed numbers.
1 1
2 2
1 whole 1 whole 1 whole
How many whole blocks are colored?
The answer is 3. 1
So there are three wholes and one half, or 3 2
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