Hi there! Today we're going to learn about fractions. Fractions are just parts of a whole. Imagine you have a whole pizza like this one. The whole pizza represents the number one. But what if we want to share it? We need to cut it into equal pieces. When we cut the pizza into equal slices, we create fractions!
When we cut our pizza into equal parts, we create a fraction. Let's say we cut our pizza into 8 equal slices. The bottom number of the fraction, called the denominator, tells us how many equal parts we've cut the whole into - that's 8. Now, if we take 3 slices of pizza, the top number, called the numerator, tells us how many parts we have - that's 3. So we write this as 3/8, which means 3 out of 8 equal parts of the whole pizza.
Let's look at some common fractions using a chocolate bar. If we break a chocolate bar into 2 equal pieces and take 1 piece, we have one-half or 1/2. If we break it into 4 equal pieces and take 1 piece, we have one-quarter or 1/4. And if we take 3 pieces out of those 4, we have three-quarters or 3/4. These are fractions we use every day! Remember, the bottom number tells us how many equal parts the whole is divided into, and the top number tells us how many of those parts we're talking about.
Now, let's learn how to compare fractions. When fractions have the same bottom number, or denominator, we just compare the top numbers, or numerators. The fraction with the larger top number is larger. For example, let's compare one-third and two-thirds. Both fractions have 3 as the denominator, so we look at the numerators. Since 2 is greater than 1, two-thirds is greater than one-third. We can see this visually - two-thirds has more colored pieces than one-third, so it represents a larger part of the whole.
Let's review what we've learned about fractions. Fractions represent parts of a whole that has been divided into equal pieces. The denominator, or bottom number, tells us how many equal parts the whole is divided into. The numerator, or top number, tells us how many of those parts we have. We've seen common fractions like one-half, one-quarter, and three-quarters. And we've learned that when comparing fractions with the same denominator, the one with the larger numerator is larger. Fractions are all around us - when we share food, tell time, or measure ingredients for cooking. Now you can understand and use fractions in your everyday life!