OF FRACTIONS AND THEIR READING. 1 What is a unit? LESSON I. A unit is any thing regarded as a whole. 2. By what figure is a simple unit expressed? 3. If a unit be divided into any number of equal parts, what are these parts called? If a unit be divided into any number of equal parts, the parts are called fractions. 4. How can these parts be expressed by figures? . These equal parts of unity may be expressed by figures, by writing the figures over each other with a line between them: thus, . 5. What is the upper figure called? The upper figure is called the numerator. 6. What is the lower figure called? The lower figure is called the denominator. 7. What does the denominator show? The denominator shows into how many equal parts the unit has been divided. 8. What does the numerator express? The numerator expresses how many parts are Let the pupil now be taught to read the follow ing fractions: : 9. When the unit is divided into any number of equal parts, what are the fractions called? When the unit is divided into any number of equal parts, the fractions are called Common or Vulgar Fractions. LESSON II. Of reading Decimals. 1. If a unit be divided into ten equal parts, what is each part called? If a unit be divided into ten equal parts, each part is called a tenth. 2. How may such parts of unity be expressed? By simply placing a period before the figure which expresses the number of parts. Thus, OF FRACTIONS AND THEIR READING. 59 3. If each of these tenths be again divided into ten equal parts, what will be the value of each part so obtained? If each tenth be again divided into ten equal parts, each part, after the division, will be one hundredth. 4. How may these hundredths be expressed by figures? These hundredth parts may be expressed by figures, by placing them on the right of the tenths. Thus, .14 expresses 1 tenth and 4 hundredths, .28 .09 .47 .78 O tenths and 9 hundredths, 4 tenths and 7 hundredths, 7 tenths and 8 hundredths. 5. When the unit is divided according to the scale of tens, what are the fractions called? When the unit is divided according to the scale of tens, the fractions are called Decimal Fractions. |