One way to tell if a fraction equals a whole number or can be written as a smaller fraction is by thinking about groups and sharing.A fraction shows how many parts we have (the numerator) and how many parts make a whole (the denominator).
If the numerator can be split evenly into groups of the denominator, the fraction equals a whole number. For example, with the fraction 12/4, since 12 can be divided into groups of 4 (12 ÷ 4 = 3), the fraction equals 3 wholes.
If the numerator and denominator can both be divided by the same number, then the fraction can be reduced. For example, with the fraction 6/8, both 6 and 8 can be divided by 2. By dividing 6 by 2 and 8 by 2 allows us to reduce the fraction to 3/4.
