What is a unit fraction?

A fraction tells us how many parts of a whole we have. When we find a fraction of an amount, we are working out how much that ‘part’ is worth within the whole.

A unit fraction is a fraction where the numerator is 1.

We can see fractions of amounts all around us in everyday life:

• Shops have sales that often say, “½ price off!” or “⅓ free!”
• Baking also makes us rely on finding fractions of amounts, for example, “add half a teaspoon of salt” or “use a ⅓ of an onion”.

Visit the BBC Bitesize website to see the activities.

Challenge