Introduction to Representing Parts of a Whole as Fractions

What you’ll learn to do: Write fractions that represent parts of a whole

A photo of several bakers at work on a table in a classroom setting.

Bakers combine ingredients to make delicious breads and pastries.

Often in life, whole amounts are not exactly what we need. A baker must use a little more than a cup of milk or part of a teaspoon of sugar. Similarly a carpenter might need less than a foot of wood and a painter might use part of a gallon of paint. In this module, we will learn about numbers that describe parts of a whole. These numbers, called fractions, are very useful both in algebra and in everyday life. You will discover that you are already familiar with many examples of fractions!

Before you get started in this module, try a few practice problems and review prior concepts.

readiness quiz

1)

If you missed this problem, review the following video.

2)

If you missed this problem, review the following video.