Fractions are numbers that show equal parts of a whole. A fraction has a top number (numerator) and a bottom number (denominator).
The numerator tells how many parts are shaded or counted. The denominator tells how many total equal parts the whole is divided into.
A fraction can be shown on a number line by dividing the line between two whole numbers into equal parts. Each mark shows a fraction.
Always start at 0 and count the equal spaces. The denominator tells you how many equal parts the whole is divided into. The numerator tells you how many of those parts to count.
To identify a fraction on a number line, look at how many equal parts are between 0 and 1 (the denominator), then count the marks from 0 (the numerator).
The fraction shows distance from zero, not just a picture of parts. This helps you understand fractions as numbers.
A mixed number is a whole number and a fraction together. On a number line, mixed numbers are shown after you pass a whole number.
Think of mixed numbers as “whole number + fraction.” Count whole numbers first, then count the fraction parts beyond the whole.