fraction

/ˈfrækʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfrækʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfrak-shən/ (ame, mw)

fraction — noun

  • fractionsingular
  • fractionsplural

1. a number in arithmetic written as one amount above another with a line between t

1.名詞B1
釋義

a number in arithmetic written as one amount above another with a line between them — for example, ½ or ¾ — that tells you how many equal parts of a whole you have.

例句

Ava learned how to add and subtract fractions in her math class today.

add / subtract fractions (arithmetic operations)

The worksheet asked students to circle the fraction that was greater than one half.

fraction greater than / less than (comparison)

同義詞
  • ratio

    A ratio compares two quantities but does not have the same written format (no line or slash required) and is not always less than one.

  • decimal

    A decimal expresses the same value using a decimal point (e.g., 0.75) rather than a numerator and denominator separated by a line.

  • proportion

    A proportion is a broader term for the relationship between parts and a whole; it is not limited to the specific written form of a fraction.

反義詞
  • whole number

    A whole number (integer) represents a complete unit, unlike a fraction which represents one or more parts of a unit.

文法句型

fraction + of + noun

fraction + verb

用法筆記

In mathematics, a fraction has a numerator (the number on top) and a denominator (the number on the bottom). Distinguish from sense 2, where 'fraction' means 'a small amount of something' rather than a written numerical form.

常見錯誤

❌The fraction 5/6 is bigger than one whole.
✅The fraction 5/6 is less than one whole; 6/5 is greater than one whole.
💡A proper fraction (top < bottom) is always less than one; an improper fraction (top > bottom) can be equal to or greater than one.
❌Divide the number and write it as a fraction of 100.
✅Divide the number and write it as a percentage out of 100.
💡A fraction is a ratio of two numbers, not specifically out of 100.

2. an extremely small piece or share of something, often far less than the total —

2.名詞B1
釋義

an extremely small piece or share of something, often far less than the total — used when you want to stress just how little there is.

例句

Only a tiny fraction of the students passed the difficult exam on their first try.

a tiny fraction of + noun group

Reuben sold his old car for a fraction of what he originally paid for it.

a fraction of the original price (cost comparison)

同義詞
  • bit

    More informal and general than 'fraction'; 'a bit of' does not carry the same emphasis on smallness compared to the whole.

  • portion

    More neutral about size — a portion can be large or small, whereas a fraction always implies a small piece.

  • minority

    Used specifically for groups of people or countable items, and carries a numerical sense below half, not just 'small'.

反義詞
  • majority

    Refers to the larger part or more than half of something, opposite in scale to a small fraction.

  • bulk

    Describes the largest or main part of something, contrasting with a fraction that is a very small share.

文法句型

a / the fraction + of + noun / pronoun

a tiny / small / mere fraction

用法筆記

Common in the pattern 'a fraction of [something]' to emphasise that the amount is very small. Unlike sense 1, this sense does not involve actual mathematical notation or numbers written with a numerator and denominator.

常見錯誤

❌He paid a fraction of the price, almost the full amount.
✅He paid a fraction of the price, meaning much less than the full amount.
💡'A fraction of' always means a small part, never close to the whole.
❌I spent a fraction on the gift.
✅I spent a fraction of what I expected on the gift.
💡The pattern 'a fraction of [something]' is the natural way to use this sense; it sounds incomplete without the whole being specified.