Fractions · sixths
What Is 5/6?
5/6 is five sixths: 5 parts out of 6 equal parts.
5/6 means 5 out of 6 equal parts. The bottom number (6) says how many equal parts make the whole. The top number (5) says how many you have. As a decimal it's 0.8333… (the 3 repeats forever), and as a percent it's about 83.3%.
5/6 in pictures
5/6 at a glance
| In words | five sixths |
| As a decimal | 0.8333… (the 3 repeats forever) |
| As a percent | about 83.3% |
| Simplest form | 5/6 is already in simplest form |
| Equal fractions | 10/12, 15/18, 20/24, 25/30 |
| Compared to one half | bigger than 1/2 |
| Left to make a whole | 1/6 |
Is 5/6 in simplest form?
No number bigger than 1 divides both 5 and 6, so 5/6 can't be simplified. It's as simple as it gets.
Fractions equal to 5/6
Multiply the top and bottom by the same number and the amount doesn't change: 5 × 2 = 10 and 6 × 2 = 12, so 5/6 = 10/12. Times 3 gives 15/18. In the bakery, that's the same pie with every slice cut in two, then in three.
More fractions equal to 5/6: 10/12, 15/18, 20/24, 25/30, 30/36. The equivalent fractions lesson shows why this always works.
Is 5/6 bigger than one half?
5/6 is bigger than 1/2. One half of 6 parts is 3, and 5/6 has 5, which is more. Next to its neighbors: 4/6 < 5/6 < 6/6.
5/6 in real life
Share the 18 into 6 equal groups: 18 ÷ 6 = 3 in each group. Take 5 groups: 3 × 5 = 15.
An hour has 60 minutes. 60 ÷ 6 = 10, and 10 × 5 = 50 minutes.
Cut into thirds first, then halve each third. Or cut in half and split each half into three.
Common mix-ups with 5/6
Swapping the numbers changes everything. 5/6 is less than one whole; 6/5 is more than one whole. The bottom number always says how many equal parts make up the whole.
A pie with 5 filled and 1 empty is not 5/1. That compares the filled part to the empty part. The bottom number counts all 6 parts, filled or not.
Play with 5/6
Saying a definition doesn't make it stick. Finding 5/6 on a pie, a cake and a number line, over and over, does.
The orders in this game keep coming back to 5/6
Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers
5/6 FAQ
What is 5/6 as a decimal?
5/6 = 0.8333… Divide the top by the bottom: 5 ÷ 6. The digit 3 repeats forever, so it never ends.
What is 5/6 as a percent?
5/6 is about 83.3%. Percent means "out of 100", so work out 5 ÷ 6 × 100.
What fractions are equal to 5/6?
10/12, 15/18, 20/24, 25/30, 30/36 and many more. Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make another.
How do you read 5/6 out loud?
Say "five 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