Fractions · eighths

What Is 2/8?

2/8 is two eighths: 2 parts out of 8 equal parts.

The short answer

2/8 means 2 out of 8 equal parts. The bottom number (8) says how many equal parts make the whole. The top number (2) says how many you have. As a decimal it's 0.25, and as a percent it's 25%.

2/8 in pictures

Pie: 2 of 8 slices
Cake: 2 of 8 parts
Cookies: 2 of 8 on the tray
01/82/83/84/85/86/87/81
Number line: two eighths

2/8 at a glance

In wordstwo eighths
As a decimal0.25
As a percent25%
Simplest form1/4
Equal fractions1/4, 3/12, 4/16, 5/20
Compared to one halfsmaller than 1/2
Left to make a whole6/8

Is 2/8 in simplest form?

Both 2 and 8 divide by 2: 2 ÷ 2 = 1 and 8 ÷ 2 = 4. So 2/8 simplifies to 1/4, and the two are the same amount of pie.

Fractions equal to 2/8

Multiply the top and bottom by the same number and the amount doesn't change: 2 × 2 = 4 and 8 × 2 = 16, so 2/8 = 4/16. Times 3 gives 6/24. In the bakery, that's the same pie with every slice cut in two, then in three.

More fractions equal to 2/8: 1/4, 3/12, 4/16, 5/20, 6/24. The equivalent fractions lesson shows why this always works.

Is 2/8 bigger than one half?

2/8 is smaller than 1/2. One half of 8 parts is 4, and 2/8 has 2, which is fewer. Next to its neighbors: 1/8 < 2/8 < 3/8.

2/8 in real life

2/8 of 16 cupcakes in a box

Share the 16 into 8 equal groups: 16 ÷ 8 = 2 in each group. Take 2 groups: 2 × 2 = 4.

2/8 of an hour

An hour has 60 minutes. 60 ÷ 8 = 7.5, and 7.5 × 2 = 15 minutes.

Cutting eighths

Halve, halve, halve. Three rounds of cutting every piece in two gives eight equal slices.

Common mix-ups with 2/8

It's not 8/2

Swapping the numbers changes everything. 2/8 is less than one whole; 8/2 is more than one whole. The bottom number always says how many equal parts make up the whole.

It's not 2/6

A pie with 2 filled and 6 empty is not 2/6. That compares the filled part to the empty part. The bottom number counts all 8 parts, filled or not.

Play with 2/8

Saying a definition doesn't make it stick. Finding 2/8 on a pie, a cake and a number line, over and over, does.

The orders in this game keep coming back to 2/8

Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers

Open the game full screen

Quick quiz

2/8 FAQ

What is 2/8 as a decimal?

2/8 = 0.25. Divide the top by the bottom: 2 ÷ 8 = 0.25.

What is 2/8 as a percent?

2/8 is 25%. Percent means "out of 100", so work out 2 ÷ 8 × 100.

What fractions are equal to 2/8?

1/4, 3/12, 4/16, 5/20, 6/24 and many more. Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make another.

How do you read 2/8 out loud?

Say "two eighths".

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