Some important vocabulary for fractions
In mathematics the word 'of ' has a special meaning.
If we have 3 rows of 6 stars we can draw a picture to represent this.
We write 3 × 6 = 18.
We can use 'of ' with fractions too.
When we are asked, for example, to find \(\dfrac{2}{3}\) of 18 oranges, we take it to mean that we divide the 18 oranges into three equal parts and then take two of these parts.
This gives \(\dfrac{2}{3}\) of 18 = 12.
Note that the result is the same as \(\dfrac{2}{3} × \dfrac{18}{1} = \dfrac{2 × 18}{3 × 1} = \dfrac{36}{3} = 12\).
When 'of ' is used with fractions it means multiplication.


