Fractions · twelfths
What Is 1/12?
1/12 is one twelfth: 1 part out of 12 equal parts.
1/12 means 1 out of 12 equal parts. The bottom number (12) says how many equal parts make the whole. The top number (1) says how many you have. As a decimal it's 0.08333… (the 3 repeats forever), and as a percent it's about 8.3%.
1/12 in pictures
1/12 at a glance
| In words | one twelfth |
| As a decimal | 0.08333… (the 3 repeats forever) |
| As a percent | about 8.3% |
| Simplest form | 1/12 is already in simplest form |
| Equal fractions | 2/24, 3/36, 4/48, 5/60 |
| Compared to one half | smaller than 1/2 |
| Left to make a whole | 11/12 |
Is 1/12 in simplest form?
No number bigger than 1 divides both 1 and 12, so 1/12 can't be simplified. It's as simple as it gets.
Fractions equal to 1/12
Multiply the top and bottom by the same number and the amount doesn't change: 1 × 2 = 2 and 12 × 2 = 24, so 1/12 = 2/24. Times 3 gives 3/36. In the bakery, that's the same pie with every slice cut in two, then in three.
More fractions equal to 1/12: 2/24, 3/36, 4/48, 5/60, 6/72. The equivalent fractions lesson shows why this always works.
Is 1/12 bigger than one half?
1/12 is smaller than 1/2. One half of 12 parts is 6, and 1/12 has 1, which is fewer. Next to its neighbors: 1/12 < 2/12.
1/12 in real life
Share the 24 into 12 equal groups: 24 ÷ 12 = 2 in each group. Take 1 group: 2 × 1 = 2.
An hour has 60 minutes. 60 ÷ 12 = 5, and 5 × 1 = 5 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 1/12
Swapping the numbers changes everything. 1/12 is less than one whole; 12/1 is more than one whole. The bottom number always says how many equal parts make up the whole.
A pie with 1 filled and 11 empty is not 1/11. That compares the filled part to the empty part. The bottom number counts all 12 parts, filled or not.
Kids often think 1/12 beats 1/10 because 12 is the bigger number. It's the other way round: more people sharing one pie means a smaller slice each.
Play with 1/12
Saying a definition doesn't make it stick. Finding 1/12 on a pie, a cake and a number line, over and over, does.
The orders in this game keep coming back to 1/12
Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers
1/12 FAQ
What is 1/12 as a decimal?
1/12 = 0.08333… Divide the top by the bottom: 1 ÷ 12. The digit 3 repeats forever, so it never ends.
What is 1/12 as a percent?
1/12 is about 8.3%. Percent means "out of 100", so work out 1 ÷ 12 × 100.
What fractions are equal to 1/12?
2/24, 3/36, 4/48, 5/60, 6/72 and many more. Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make another.
How do you read 1/12 out loud?
Say "one twelfth".
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