About this video
A pie is cut into 4 pieces, but are they each 1/4? The video explains that the 1 in 1/4 counts pieces and the 4 counts equal-size pieces. Because the end pieces are smaller, the pieces are not fourths.
You'll be able to
- explain what the numerator and the 4 in 1/4 mean.
- decide whether a shape is cut into equal parts before naming a fraction.
Key words
- numerator
- The top number in a fraction; it tells how many pieces you have.
- equal size pieces
- Pieces that are all exactly the same size.
- 1/4
- One of four equal size pieces of a whole.
Transcript
- [Voiceover] Is each piece equal to 1/4 of the area of the pie? So we have a pie, and it has one, two, three, four pieces. So it does have four pieces. So is one of those pieces equal to 1/4 of the pie? Well let's talk about what we mean when we have a fraction like 1/4.
The one in the fraction, the numerator, represents a number of pieces. So here, one piece. One piece of pie. And then the four, when we're talking about fractions is always talking about the number of equal size. Equal size pieces. So in this case four equal size pieces.
So the question is, is each piece one of four equal size pieces? Let's look at the pie. I think it's pretty clear that these pieces on the end are not equal, they are smaller than the two pieces in the middle. If you love cherry pie, you are not happy about getting this end piece.
Because it is smaller. It is not an equal size piece. So yes, each piece is one out of four pieces. But it is not one of four equal size pieces. Therefore it is not 1/4. So our answer is no. No, no, no. Each piece is not 1/4 or an equal share of the pie.
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