Knowing how to type fractions is useful in many ways. Teachers and students can use these skills for homework assignments or research papers as well as chemistry and geometry subjects. Chefs can also use it for professional recipe cards. Fractional typing can also be found in financial reports and statistics. Some fractions can be converted to decimals for convenience. However, some fractions must remain in the numerator/divisor form to accurately reflect the data. Fraction symbol typing can be done with the automatic formatting feature in some programs or using keys specifically designed to display fractions in their correct form.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Typing Fractions on PC
Step 1. Use the division symbol to type a fraction
This is done by first typing the numerator (the number on the top), the forward slash (/), and the divisor (the number on the bottom). For example like this: 5/32.
If you want to type a whole number along with a fraction, just type the whole number followed by a space, and type the fraction according to the instructions above. For example is 1 1/2
Step 2. Use the automatic formatting feature in the Word program
This feature converts fractions typed using forward slashes (as in the step above), and changes the fraction symbol so that the numerator and divisor are separated by a horizontal line.
- This function is usually active from the start. However, to make sure, you can go to " Word Options ", then click " Proofing " in the dialog box that appears. Then, click "AutoCorrect Options". There, you can enable or disable AutoCorrect. Apart from that, you can also edit when and how to correct certain things
- Be aware that this function does not work for all fractions.
Step 3. Use key shortcuts for commonly used fractions
Some fractions have shortcut keys that can be used by holding down the alt=""Image" key and typing the code number.
- 1/2 = Alt+0189
- 1/4 = Alt+0188
- 3/4 = Alt+0190
Step 4. Use the equation fields in the Word program to type fractions
You can also create fractions in Word using the equation function.
- Place the cursor where the shard will be.
- Press Ctrl+F9 at the same time to enter a field pair in brackets (bracket).
- Place the cursor inside the field in brackets, and type EQ \F(n, d). The letter "n" is the numerator and the letter "d" is the divisor.
- You must use all capital letters, and leave a space after the EQ.
- Press Shift+F9 simultaneously to create fractions.
Step 5. Use superscript and subscript formats to type fractions in the Word program
In Word, you can format fonts so that they appear as superscript (top of line) or subscript (underlined text) text. This way, you can manipulate the font so that it appears as a fraction
- Type in the numerator and highlight the number.
- Select Format from the menu, click Font, and then select Superscript.
- Press Ctrl and the space bar to clear the formatting for the next step.
- Type the forward slash key (/).
- Type in the divisor and highlight the number. Select Format, then Font, and finally Subscript.
- Press Ctrl+Space to unformat again and continue typing.
Method 2 of 3: Typing Fractions on Mac
Step 1. Go to “System Preferences” in your menu bar
Here, you will find all the settings for your Mac.
- Select "Language and Region".
- Click on “Keyboard Preferences”.
- Click on the label that says “Input Sources”.
- Make sure the “Show Input menu in menu bar” box is checked.
- Exit system preferences.
- Now, your country's flag should appear in the menu bar at the top right of the screen.
Step 2. Click the Input menu on the menu bar
This will allow you to access all the special symbols on your Mac.
- Click “Show Emoji and Symbols”.
- In the search box, type the fraction you're looking for (e.g. 1/2=half, 1/8=eighth, 1/4=quarter). In the search results, you will see the fraction you want to include in your document.
- Double-click on the fraction in the search results box, and the symbol will be inserted into the document you're working on.
Step 3. Save frequently used fractions in “Favorites”
That way, you can use it faster and you no longer need to search.
Step 4. Turn on the auto-correct feature in Pages
In most standard Mac applications (e.g. Mail, Safari, Text Edit, etc.) this feature is already turned on, but if you use Pages, it must be enabled on its own.
- While in Pages, go to " Preferences ".
- Select "Auto-Corrections"
- A box with several options will appear. Here, you have to check the box next to “Symbol and Text Substitutions”.
- Next, check the symbols and substitutions you want to use. In this case, make sure you check the “Fractions” box.
Step 5. Type the fraction in your Pages document
Now you are ready. Start typing the numerator, forward slash (/), and then the divisor. Pages will automatically convert it to a fraction view.
Method 3 of 3: Copy and Paste
Step 1. Copy and Paste (Copy and Paste) your fraction
If you're having trouble using any of the methods above, you can copy and paste fragments from other documents or from the internet.
Step 2. Find the desired fraction
If the shard you want to use is somewhere in your document or another document, you can copy and paste this shard.
- Highlight the fraction you want to use with your cursor.
- Right click the highlighted text and click “copy”.
- Click back into the document and place the cursor where the shard will be. Right click again, and click "paste".
- If the formatting of the text does not match the document you are working on, highlight the fraction you just pasted, and change the type and font size of the text in the document.
Step 3. Search the internet
If the fraction isn't in another document, you can find it on a web page by entering the search keyword fraction number + the word “fraction”. For example, if you want to include 1/10, look for "1/10 fraction".
- Click through the search results until you find the fraction you want. Then, as above, highlight the fraction and copy and paste it into your document.
- If you need to change the format, highlight the fraction again and change to the appropriate font type and size. You can also make it bold (or plain) if needed.
