What Are Numerator and Denominator with Examples

Introduction to Numerator and Denominator

What is a fraction? As we all know, that fraction is a numerical quantity which is not a whole number. It represents a whole number which we can divide into equal parts. Fractions tell us about the quantity of the parts of the whole we have. Besides, the two parts of the fraction are numerator and denominator.

Some examples of fractions can be 1/2, 4/5, 7/17, 9/16 and many more. Now we can clearly see from the above-given examples that a fraction comprises of two parts. The two parts of a fraction are named as the Numerators and Denominator (the top par & the bottom part). Let’s discuss more of them.

numerator and denominator

What is Numerator?

The numerator is the number which appears on the top portion of the fraction. As we told earlier that a fraction is nothing but a part of the whole. Therefore, numerator represents the number of equal parts of a whole which will be taken into consideration.

Let us take an example we mentioned before. In the fraction, 7/17 the numerator is 7 which further means that 7 parts of a whole object divide into 17 parts of equal sizes that we take into consideration.

To understand this more clearly, let’s take the example of a Christmas pie. We divide the Christmas pie into 17 parts to distribute amongst the 17 people at a party comprising of 7 girls and 10 boys. Owing to this fact we know that 7 parts of the 17 parts will be taken by the girls. Hence, we can say that 7/17 part of the Christmas pie has been taken by the girls. Also, 10/17 part of the Christmas pie is left for the boys.

What is Denominator?

The denominator is the second part of the fraction. We represent it on the bottom part of the fraction. Moreover, it represents the number of equal parts in which we can divide the whole. Let us take an example of the fraction ½. Over here ½ means two equal parts of a single object is taken into consideration.

To understand this more clearly, let us take the example of a pizza. Suppose 6 friends went to have a party at a restaurant. They order a big, round pizza which they decide to share equally amongst themselves. That further means that 1 pizza will be equally divided into 6 equal pieces. As discussed above, each person will get 1/6 piece of 1 whole pizza.

In a fraction, the numerator can be either greater than the denominator or lesser than the denominator.

What will it mean if the denominator is less than the numerator in examples like 7/5, 8/7, 10/5 and many more?

Let us clarify this with an example. In the fraction 7/5, the total number of items we consider is 7 and we need to divide it into 5 equal parts. This also means that we have to divide the whole 7 into 5 equal parts.

So, numerator and denominator are parts of a whole which we divide into portions. So that it is easy to divide them equally among individuals.