Fractions · sixths

What Is 3/6?

3/6 is three sixths: 3 parts out of 6 equal parts.

The short answer

3/6 means 3 out of 6 equal parts. The bottom number (6) says how many equal parts make the whole. The top number (3) says how many you have. As a decimal it's 0.5, and as a percent it's 50%.

3/6 in pictures

Pie: 3 of 6 slices
Cake: 3 of 6 parts
Cookies: 3 of 6 on the tray
01/62/63/64/65/61
Number line: three sixths

3/6 at a glance

In wordsthree sixths
As a decimal0.5
As a percent50%
Simplest form1/2
Equal fractions1/2, 2/4, 4/8, 5/10
Compared to one halfequal to 1/2
Left to make a whole3/6

Is 3/6 in simplest form?

Both 3 and 6 divide by 3: 3 ÷ 3 = 1 and 6 ÷ 3 = 2. So 3/6 simplifies to 1/2, and the two are the same amount of pie.

Fractions equal to 3/6

Multiply the top and bottom by the same number and the amount doesn't change: 3 × 2 = 6 and 6 × 2 = 12, so 3/6 = 6/12. Times 3 gives 9/18. In the bakery, that's the same pie with every slice cut in two, then in three.

More fractions equal to 3/6: 1/2, 2/4, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12. The equivalent fractions lesson shows why this always works.

Is 3/6 bigger than one half?

3/6 is equal to 1/2. Half of 6 is 3, so 3/6 is exactly one half. Next to its neighbors: 2/6 < 3/6 < 4/6.

3/6 in real life

3/6 of 12 cookies on a tray

Share the 12 into 6 equal groups: 12 ÷ 6 = 2 in each group. Take 3 groups: 2 × 3 = 6.

3/6 of an hour

An hour has 60 minutes. 60 ÷ 6 = 10, and 10 × 3 = 30 minutes.

Cutting sixths

Cut into thirds first, then halve each third. Or cut in half and split each half into three.

Common mix-ups with 3/6

It's not 6/3

Swapping the numbers changes everything. 3/6 is less than one whole; 6/3 is more than one whole. The bottom number always says how many equal parts make up the whole.

It's not 3/3

A pie with 3 filled and 3 empty is not 3/3. That compares the filled part to the empty part. The bottom number counts all 6 parts, filled or not.

Different numbers, same amount

3/6 and 1/2 look different, but the amount of pie is identical. Cutting the same pie into more slices doesn't change how much pie there is.

Play with 3/6

Saying a definition doesn't make it stick. Finding 3/6 on a pie, a cake and a number line, over and over, does.

The orders in this game keep coming back to 3/6

Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers

Open the game full screen

Quick quiz

3/6 FAQ

What is 3/6 as a decimal?

3/6 = 0.5. Divide the top by the bottom: 3 ÷ 6 = 0.5.

What is 3/6 as a percent?

3/6 is 50%. Percent means "out of 100", so work out 3 ÷ 6 × 100.

What fractions are equal to 3/6?

1/2, 2/4, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12 and many more. Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make another.

How do you read 3/6 out loud?

Say "three sixths".

Is the fraction game really free?

Yes. The whole game plays free in your browser, with no signup, no ads and no time limit. A Fraction Bakery app for iPhone is coming later, but the web game stays free.

Take the bakery with you, soon

A Fraction Bakery app for iPhone is on the way. The plan: offline play for the car, a parent report of which fractions have stuck, and the full bakery shelf of prizes. Until then, the whole game is free right here.

Coming soon on theApp Store