Halves and quarters

The two simplest fractions are:

• A half (½) — when something is split into 2 equal parts.
• A quarter (¼) — when something is split into 4 equal parts.

Cutting a shape in half

To get a half we cut a shape into two equal parts.

You can do this in different ways:

• Down the middle (vertical cut).
• Across the middle (horizontal cut).
• A square can also be cut corner to corner (diagonal cut).

In every case, the two parts have to be the same size.

Cutting a shape into quarters

To get a quarter we cut into four equal parts.

For a square or a rectangle the easiest way is:

1. Cut down the middle → two halves.
2. Cut across each half in the middle again → four quarters.

For a circle (a pizza) we usually do two cuts through the centre, perpendicular to each other.

Important relationship

2 quarters = 1 half.

4 quarters = 1 whole.

If you have 1 quarter and you take another quarter, you now have half of the whole.

A third (bonus)

A third (⅓) is when something is cut into 3 equal parts. Less common in 2nd grade, but worth knowing the word.

Halves and quarters in real life

• Half a sandwich (cut in two).
• A quarter of an hour (15 minutes — a quarter of 60).
• Half an apple.
• A quarter of a pizza (one slice from a pizza cut in 4).

Summary

• Half (½) = 1 of 2 equal parts.
• Quarter (¼) = 1 of 4 equal parts.
• 2 quarters = 1 half, 4 quarters = 1 whole.
• The parts must always be equal.