TheMathPage

The Evolution of the

R E A L N U M B E R S

FRACTIONS

TO MEASURE something requires the name of a number. But the names of the natural numbers are not sufficient, because what we measure will not always be a multiple of the unit of measure, that is, of 1. In order to measure we have to create numbers that are parts of number 1. Those are the fractions.

What is more, in a natural number, the units are indivisible. We therefore must extend the idea of a "number" so that it corresponds to things that we measure, that is, things that are continuous.

Let 1 therefore now be the measure of a continuous unit:

1 inch, 1 meter, 1 hour; and let us imagine that we have to invent a numeral -- a symbol, a "number" -- for half of 1.

What symbol should we invent?

The symbol invented, of course, is 1 over 2:

1
2

But why?

Because of the ratio of 1 to 2. Since 1 is one half of 2, then the number we write in this way, , is one half of 1. We call it the number "one-half.".

In fact, we know a number according to how it is related to 1.

What is our understanding of "2"? It is twice as much as 1. What is "3"? It is three times 1. And the number we write as "" is one half of 1.

We know every number of arithmetic according to its ratio to 1, which is the source.

This number is called "two-thirds" because of the ratio of 2 to 3. 2 is two thirds of 3. That fraction, moreover, has the same ratio to 1:

Two-thirds on the number line

2 3	is to 1 as 2 is to 3.

The fraction called "two-thirds" is two thirds of 1.

(Notice that we write the name of the fraction hyphenated, but not the name of the ratio. In that way we maintain the distinction between fractions and ratios. A fraction is a number; a ratio is a relationship between numbers and between lengths.)

The same ratio to 1

The numerator and denominator are natural numbers, they have a ratio to one another. That same ratio to 1 defines the fraction.

a b	: 1 = a : b

$fraction$ is to 1 as 2 is to 3. 2 is two thirds of 3. $fraction$ is two thirds of 1.

Problem 1. a) What number is the fourth part of 1? Write its symbol and also write its name in words.

To see the answer, pass your mouse over the colored area.
To cover the answer again, click "Refresh" ("Reload").

1 4	. One-fourth.

b)	When we speak of a fourth of 1, does '1' refer to a continuous unit or discrete?

c) Place

1
4

on this number line.

Problem 2. Why is this number

2
5

called "two-fifths"?

Problem 3. What ratio has each number to 1?

a)	1 2	is one half of 1.	b)	1 3	is one third of 1.

c)	2 3	is two thirds of 1.	d)	3 4	is three fourths of 1.

e)	4 5	is four fifths of 1.	f)	5 8	is five eighths of 1.

Problem 3.

a) What is a proper fraction?

b) How can we recognize a proper fraction?

c) What is a mixed number?

Problem 4. Continuous versus discrete Answer with a mixed number, or with a whole number and a remainder, whichever makes sense.

a) It takes three yards of material to make a skirt. How many skirts can
a) you make from 25 yards?

b) You are going on a journey of 25 miles, and you have gone a third of
b) the distance. How far have you gone?

Problem 5. What is an improper fraction.

Recall from arithmetic that we can always express a mixed number as an improper fraction.

Problem 6. Express 6½ as an improper fraction.

Problem 7. Complete each proportion with natural numbers.

a)	1 2	: 1 = 1 : 2	b)		2 : 3

c)	3 2	: 1 = 3 : 2	d)	5¼ : 1 =	21 4	: 1 = 21 : 4

e) .49 : 1 = 49 : 100. Multiply both terms by 100.

f) 2.5 : 1 = 25 : 10. Multiply both terms by 10.

Next Topic: Unit fractions

Table of Contents | Home

Please make a donation to keep TheMathPage online.
Even $1 will help.

Questions or comments?

E-mail: teacher@themathpage.com