Fractions · twelfths
What Is 5/12?
5/12 is five twelfths: 5 parts out of 12 equal parts.
5/12 means 5 out of 12 equal parts. The bottom number (12) says how many equal parts make the whole. The top number (5) says how many you have. As a decimal it's 0.41666… (the 6 repeats forever), and as a percent it's about 41.7%.
5/12 in pictures
5/12 at a glance
| In words | five twelfths |
| As a decimal | 0.41666… (the 6 repeats forever) |
| As a percent | about 41.7% |
| Simplest form | 5/12 is already in simplest form |
| Equal fractions | 10/24, 15/36, 20/48, 25/60 |
| Compared to one half | smaller than 1/2 |
| Left to make a whole | 7/12 |
Is 5/12 in simplest form?
No number bigger than 1 divides both 5 and 12, so 5/12 can't be simplified. It's as simple as it gets.
Fractions equal to 5/12
Multiply the top and bottom by the same number and the amount doesn't change: 5 × 2 = 10 and 12 × 2 = 24, so 5/12 = 10/24. Times 3 gives 15/36. In the bakery, that's the same pie with every slice cut in two, then in three.
More fractions equal to 5/12: 10/24, 15/36, 20/48, 25/60, 30/72. The equivalent fractions lesson shows why this always works.
Is 5/12 bigger than one half?
5/12 is smaller than 1/2. One half of 12 parts is 6, and 5/12 has 5, which is fewer. Next to its neighbors: 4/12 < 5/12 < 6/12.
5/12 in real life
Share the 12 into 12 equal groups: 12 ÷ 12 = 1 in each group. Take 5 groups: 1 × 5 = 5.
An hour has 60 minutes. 60 ÷ 12 = 5, and 5 × 5 = 25 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 5/12
Swapping the numbers changes everything. 5/12 is less than one whole; 12/5 is more than one whole. The bottom number always says how many equal parts make up the whole.
A pie with 5 filled and 7 empty is not 5/7. That compares the filled part to the empty part. The bottom number counts all 12 parts, filled or not.
Play with 5/12
Saying a definition doesn't make it stick. Finding 5/12 on a pie, a cake and a number line, over and over, does.
The orders in this game keep coming back to 5/12
Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers
5/12 FAQ
What is 5/12 as a decimal?
5/12 = 0.41666… Divide the top by the bottom: 5 ÷ 12. The digit 6 repeats forever, so it never ends.
What is 5/12 as a percent?
5/12 is about 41.7%. Percent means "out of 100", so work out 5 ÷ 12 × 100.
What fractions are equal to 5/12?
10/24, 15/36, 20/48, 25/60, 30/72 and many more. Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make another.
How do you read 5/12 out loud?
Say "five 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