Fractions · twelfths
What Is 4/12?
4/12 is four twelfths: 4 parts out of 12 equal parts.
4/12 means 4 out of 12 equal parts. The bottom number (12) says how many equal parts make the whole. The top number (4) says how many you have. As a decimal it's 0.333… (the 3 repeats forever), and as a percent it's about 33.3%.
4/12 in pictures
4/12 at a glance
| In words | four twelfths |
| As a decimal | 0.333… (the 3 repeats forever) |
| As a percent | about 33.3% |
| Simplest form | 1/3 |
| Equal fractions | 1/3, 2/6, 3/9, 5/15 |
| Compared to one half | smaller than 1/2 |
| Left to make a whole | 8/12 |
Is 4/12 in simplest form?
Both 4 and 12 divide by 4: 4 ÷ 4 = 1 and 12 ÷ 4 = 3. So 4/12 simplifies to 1/3, and the two are the same amount of pie.
Fractions equal to 4/12
Multiply the top and bottom by the same number and the amount doesn't change: 4 × 2 = 8 and 12 × 2 = 24, so 4/12 = 8/24. Times 3 gives 12/36. In the bakery, that's the same pie with every slice cut in two, then in three.
More fractions equal to 4/12: 1/3, 2/6, 3/9, 5/15, 6/18. The equivalent fractions lesson shows why this always works.
Is 4/12 bigger than one half?
4/12 is smaller than 1/2. One half of 12 parts is 6, and 4/12 has 4, which is fewer. Next to its neighbors: 3/12 < 4/12 < 5/12.
4/12 in real life
Share the 12 into 12 equal groups: 12 ÷ 12 = 1 in each group. Take 4 groups: 1 × 4 = 4.
An hour has 60 minutes. 60 ÷ 12 = 5, and 5 × 4 = 20 minutes.
Cut into quarters, then split each quarter into three. A clock face already shows twelfths: every hour mark is one twelfth of the way around.
Common mix-ups with 4/12
Swapping the numbers changes everything. 4/12 is less than one whole; 12/4 is more than one whole. The bottom number always says how many equal parts make up the whole.
A pie with 4 filled and 8 empty is not 4/8. That compares the filled part to the empty part. The bottom number counts all 12 parts, filled or not.
Play with 4/12
Saying a definition doesn't make it stick. Finding 4/12 on a pie, a cake and a number line, over and over, does.
The orders in this game keep coming back to 4/12
Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers
4/12 FAQ
What is 4/12 as a decimal?
4/12 = 0.333… Divide the top by the bottom: 4 ÷ 12. The digit 3 repeats forever, so it never ends.
What is 4/12 as a percent?
4/12 is about 33.3%. Percent means "out of 100", so work out 4 ÷ 12 × 100.
What fractions are equal to 4/12?
1/3, 2/6, 3/9, 5/15, 6/18 and many more. Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make another.
How do you read 4/12 out loud?
Say "four twelfths".
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