What is a Fraction?

As many young children, and even adults, find fractions difficult, watching this video will enhance the basic understanding of fractions. Using a chocolate bar to explain the difference between one fourth (quarter) and one halve in a practical manner, this video will let you grasp the concept that one halve is bigger than one fourth and enhance your understanding of what the numerator and the denominator entail. Even though the denominator is a larger number, such as four, compared to the other fraction’s denominator of a two, one cannot apply the rules applicable to whole numbers. One fourth indicates that you can eat one piece of chocolate from a whole chocolate bar that was divided into four equal pieces, while one halve indicates that you can eat one piece of chocolate from a similar chocolate bar that was divided into two equal pieces. Thus, if you eat the fourth (quarter), compared to one halve, your piece of chocolate will be smaller than the other piece – in other words, a fourth (quarter) is smaller than a halve. There are three main types of common fractions, namely, proper fractions, improper fractions and mixed numbers. This video, “What is a Fraction?” shows you how to convert improper fractions to mixed numbers and vice versa.