How To Write A Fraction In Word

I am a former maths teacher and owner of DoingMaths. I create many worksheets and other resource learning many formatting tricks as I go.

Fractions in a Maths Worksheet created using Microsoft Word

My own maths worksheet using fractions

Using Fractions in Microsoft Word

As somebody who writes about maths and creates a lot of maths worksheets, being able to write fractions in Microsoft Give-and-take is an extremely valuable skill to have.

In this article, I will testify you several ways in which you can write fractions using a variety of methods.

Method 1: Insert Symbol

For basic fractions, go to the 'Insert' tab and click 'Symbol'. Past scrolling downward, yous will be able to find several simple fractions ready for you to insert. This only includes a half, quarters and eighths, so is fairly limited, just sometimes this is all you demand and this is past far the simplest method for calculation these fractions into your document.

Depending upon your settings, Give-and-take will also often auto-correct fractions then that if you type in i/2 it will automatically replace it with the ane/two from the insert symbols table. If this is non happening, you can switch information technology on by going to the 'File' tab, clicking on 'Options', then 'Proofing', then 'AutoCorrect Options'. Nether the 'AutoFormat As You Blazon' tab click the box for 'Fractions with fraction character'. Note that this only works for those fractions found in the insert symbols tabular array.

Method 1a: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Instead of having to click through to the symbols menu each time, you lot can use the post-obit keyboard shortcuts to bring upwardly elementary fractions:

1/2: Alt + 0189
one/four: Alt + 0188
3/4: Alt + 0190

Method ii: Apply the Frontward Slash

Sometimes information technology can be appropriate just to utilize the forward slash in between your numerator and denominator in guild to create a fraction.

This can expect fine for simpler fractions such equally 1/ii or 5/half-dozen, but tin can start to look messy when using bigger fractions such as 2875/21038 and is certainly not great if trying to write algebraic fractions such equally (ten+1)/(2x-3), where brackets need to be used to avoid confusion.

Method 3: Utilise Superscript and Subscript

A slightly more constructive version of method ii is to continue using the forrad slash, but superscript your numerator and subscript your denominator like this ³/_vii. This makes your fractions a bit neater and removes the need for brackets in fractions with more than than ane term top or bottom e.m. ^{1 + 3x}/_{4x + y} .

To utilize this method, highlight the numerator, then notice the superscript push 'x^two' on the 'Font' section of the 'Abode' tab. Clicking this will make your numerator slightly smaller and raise information technology up. Do the same thing with the denominator, but click the subscript push button 'x₂'.

Scroll to Go on

If you are not happy with the manner of your fractions, you can experiment past altering the font sizes of the fractions or check out Method 4 for my favourite fraction creation method.

Using the Subscript Button — Using the Subscript Push button

My own screen print

Method 4: Utilise an Equation Field

Using an Equation Field to display your fractions is hands my favourite fashion of displaying fractions every bit it allows y'all to evidence fractions where the numerator is direct above the denominator, thus removing any confusion when you take a fraction in the middle of an expression.

A Fraction in Word Created Using an Equation Field

My own screen print

To use an Equation field, merely click your cursor to where you lot would like the fraction to appear on the page and so press Ctrl and F9 together. This will bring upwards a pair of field brackets such as in the picture below.

Once you lot have your field brackets, type in the post-obit:

EQ \F(northward,d)

Where n is your numerator and d is your denominator. You need to brand certain that the EQ and F are written in capitals and that yous leave a space between EQ and \F.

So for case, if I wanted to type v/half dozen, I would blazon EQ \F(five,half-dozen) into the field brackets.

While your field brackets are selected, you then demand to printing Shift and F9 together to create your fraction.

If y'all accept multiple field brackets in your certificate and you observe that they have all converted dorsum into the form EQ \F(due north,d), simply highlight the part of the document containing the field brackets and press Shift and F9 together. This volition convert all of them dorsum into fraction form as required.