INSTRUCTIONS

Identify Fractions uses number lines to demonstrate the meaning of numerator and denominator.

The following illustration was made from Identify Fractions:

We will call the distance from 0 to 1 a unit. This unit is divided into 5 equal parts. Count from the left the parts from the whole number 0 until you get to the arrow. The arrow tells you to take 2 of the 5 parts.

The top number 2 in the numeral is the numerator. The numerator tells us how many of the parts in the unit are to be taken.

The bottom number 5 in the numeral is the denominator. The denominator tells us the total number of equal parts into which the unit is divided. In this example there are 5 equal parts in the unit from 0 to 1.

The line between the numerator and denominator is known as the fraction bar. It is also called the division bar.

You will enter the fraction because the arrow points to the 2nd of 5 parts.