Last updated on July 22nd, 2025
The number that appears above the fraction is called the numerator. It represents the number of parts taken from a whole. In this article, we will focus on the numerator, how it differs from the denominator, and its importance in a fraction.
The numerator is that part of a fraction that tells us how many parts we have taken from a whole. In the fraction a/b, a is the numerator. In any fraction, the numerator will always be found at the top.
Let's look at this with an example. Tony has a total of 8 slices of pizza. He eats 2 slices and gives 1 slice to his friend Sharon. Here, Tony’s share will be represented as 2/8, where 2 is the number of slices he has eaten, and 8 is the total number of slices. Similarly, Sharon’s fraction would be 1/8.
Students may confuse the numerator and the denominator. Here are a few differences between the two:
Numerator |
Denominator |
The top portion of the fraction is called the numerator. |
The denominator is the bottom part of the fraction. |
The parts taken from the whole are represented by a numerator. |
The denominator is the total number of equal parts that form the whole group. |
Example: In the fraction 7/31, 7 is the numerator. |
Example: In 7/31, 31 is the denominator. |
In a fraction, the numerator represents the dividend and helps determine how many times a number can be divided. For example, in 64 8, the numerator 64 represents the dividend (number being divided). It represents the total quantity that needs to be divided into parts. It helps us understand how many parts we can get from the whole.
Numerators show how many parts are taken from the whole, for example if there are 9 dumplings, and you have eaten 4 of them, the fraction would be 4/9, where 4 is the numerator denoting the number of dumplings that you have eaten.
Here are some important points we should remember about numerators:
Numerators are used in many fields that directly affect our everyday lives. Here are a few real-world applications of numerators:
When learning about numerators, students tend to make a few mistakes. Here are some common mistakes that students make and ways to avoid them:
What is the numerator in the fraction 7/9?
7
The numerator is the top number in a fraction, which represents the selected parts of the whole. In this example, the numerator is the top number: 7.
Jake had a large pizza with 10 slices. He ate 3/10 of the pizza. What is the numerator in this fraction?
3
In the fraction 3/10, the numerator 3 represents the number of pizza slices Jake ate.
In a class of 20 students, 11 students received pens. What is the numerator in this fraction?
11/20
The numerator shows how many pens were received out of the total required pens. In this case, 11 students received pens out of 20 students. So the numerator is 11, the fraction would be 11/20.
What is the numerator in the fraction part of 4 2/5?
2
In the mixed number 4 2/5, the numerator of the fractional part is the number on the top part of the fraction.
Emma ran 5/6 of a mile before stopping. What is the numerator in this fraction?
5
The numerator represents how much of the total distance was covered. Here, Emma ran 5 miles out of the total 6 miles. So the numerator is 5, and the fraction is 5/6.
Hiralee Lalitkumar Makwana has almost two years of teaching experience. She is a number ninja as she loves numbers. Her interest in numbers can be seen in the way she cracks math puzzles and hidden patterns.
: She loves to read number jokes and games.