Simple Fraction Word Problems

A fraction is a way of representing a whole fraction. Simply put, a fraction has two parts: the numerator and the denominator. The numerator is the number on top that shows how many parts are being considered, while the denominator is the number on the bottom that shows how many parts the whole fraction is divided into.

Understanding fractions

Cut a pizza into 4 equal slices. If you eat 1 slice, you are eating one of those 4 parts. This can be represented as a fraction: 1/4, where 1 is the numerator and 4 is the denominator.

4 equal slices pizza:
,
| 1/4 | 1/4 | 1/4 | 1/4 |
,
You ate 1 piece:

,
| x | 1/4 | 1/4 | 1/4 |
,

Simple fraction word problems

Let's take a look at some word problems involving simple fractions. In word problems, fractions can help us understand scenarios better.

Example 1: Sharing apples

Sarah has 3 apples. She wants to share them equally with her 2 friends. How many apples will each person get?

Solution: Sarah is dividing 3 apples between 3 people (Sarah and her 2 friends), which means each person gets 1/3 of each apple.

Everyone including Sarah:
1 apple / 3 people = 1/3 per person

Example 2: Dividing the cake

A cake is divided into 8 equal pieces. If Jennifer eats 3 pieces, how much of the cake has she eaten?

Solution: Jennifer eats 3 of the 8 equal parts. Therefore, the fraction is 3/8.

Cake with 8 equal slices:
,
, 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
,

Jennifer eats slices 1, 2 and 3:

,
| X | X | X | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
,

Fraction of cake eaten: 3/8

Example 3: Watering the plants

Mike uses 2 liters of water from a 5-liter watering can to water his plants. How much of the water from the watering can did Mike use?

Solution: Mike used 2 liters of water out of a total of 5 liters. Therefore, the fraction of water used is 2/5.

Total water in the can = 5 liters
Water used = 2 liters

Fraction used = 2/5

More complex variant scenarios

Now let's explore more scenarios involving fractions, where we find what part of a whole is represented.

Example 4: Playground

There are 21 children in the playground. If 9 of them are playing on the swings and the rest are sliding, how many children are sliding?

Solution: If 9 children are playing on the swing, then 21 - 9 = 12 children are swinging. Therefore, the fraction of children swinging is 12/21. This can be simplified by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 3, so 12/21 = 4/7.

Total children = 21
Children on swing = 9
Children are slipping = 21 – 9 = 12

Sliding fraction: 12/21
Simplified: 12 ÷ 3 / 21 ÷ 3 = 4/7

Example 5: Fruit basket

There are 20 fruits in a fruit basket - 4 apples, 7 oranges and the rest are bananas. What portion of the fruits are bananas?

Solution: First, calculate the number of bananas. Bananas = Total fruits - (apples + oranges) = 20 - (4 + 7) = 9. So, the fraction of bananas is 9/20.

Total fruits = 20
Apples = 4
Oranges = 7
Bananas = 20 – (4 + 7) = 9

Banana fraction = 9/20

Visual part representation

Visualizing fractions can help you understand them better. Here's how you can visually represent fractions by dividing shapes into equal parts.

Visual fraction example 1

Show the fraction 1/2 using a rectangle divided into two equal parts.

Visual fraction example 2

Represent the fraction 3/4 using a circle divided into four equal parts.

Conclusion

Understanding simple fraction word problems is essential because it helps apply mathematical concepts to real-world scenarios. By visualizing fractions and solving problems step-by-step, you can develop a strong foundation in fractions.

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