Copy the symbol if there is one (½, ¼, ¾, ⅓…) and type a slash if there isn’t: 3/4. Only 19 fractions have a character of their own in Unicode. For any other fraction, in Word or in Google Docs, the equation editor draws the numerator over the denominator.
This guide is about typing in a document on a computer or a phone. If you want to know how fractions are read aloud, see reading and writing fractions. If you work in a spreadsheet, go to fractions in Excel, where a fraction can end up turned into a date.
| Fraction | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| ¼, ½ or ¾ in Word | Type with a slash and let AutoCorrect change it | 1/4 becomes ¼ |
| Another one with a symbol, such as ⅞ | Insert > Symbol, or code and Alt+X | The character ⅞ |
| No symbol, such as 7/16 | Equation editor (Alt+=) | 7 over 16, stacked |
| To calculate or search | Ordinary slash | 11/12 |
The table sums up the rest of the guide: the rarer the fraction, the closer you get to the equation editor.
Fractions that have their own symbol
You can copy and paste these characters into any document, message or web page. The Unicode code lets you insert them with the methods in the sections below.
| Symbol | Fraction | Unicode | Alt on Windows |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ | 1/2 | U+00BD | Alt+0189 |
| ⅓ | 1/3 | U+2153 | none |
| ⅔ | 2/3 | U+2154 | none |
| ¼ | 1/4 | U+00BC | Alt+0188 |
| ¾ | 3/4 | U+00BE | Alt+0190 |
| ⅕ | 1/5 | U+2155 | none |
| ⅖ | 2/5 | U+2156 | none |
| ⅗ | 3/5 | U+2157 | none |
| ⅘ | 4/5 | U+2158 | none |
| ⅙ | 1/6 | U+2159 | none |
| ⅚ | 5/6 | U+215A | none |
| ⅐ | 1/7 | U+2150 | none |
| ⅛ | 1/8 | U+215B | none |
| ⅜ | 3/8 | U+215C | none |
| ⅝ | 5/8 | U+215D | none |
| ⅞ | 7/8 | U+215E | none |
| ⅑ | 1/9 | U+2151 | none |
| ⅒ | 1/10 | U+2152 | none |
| ↉ | 0/3 | U+2189 | none |
Of these, 18 are in common use, with a denominator of 10 or less, and then there is ↉ (zero thirds), which you will almost never need. If you see an empty box instead of the symbol, the font does not include it, and switching fonts fixes it.
Worked example: typing 10/24 in simplest form
You have 10/24 as a result and want to type it simplified in Word, with the numerator over the denominator.
- Simplify. The GCF of 10 and 24 is 2, so 10/24 = 5/12.
- Look for the symbol. There is none for 5/12 in the table above.
- Open the equation editor. Press Alt+= in Word for Windows, or go to Insert > Equation.
- Type 5/12 and press the spacebar. Word draws the 5 above the 12.
Result: 5/12, stacked.
Check: 5 × 2 = 10 and 12 × 2 = 24, so the two fractions have the same value.
How to type fractions in Word
Word gives you four routes. Menu names can vary a little between versions.
- AutoCorrect. When you type 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 and press the spacebar, Word changes them to ¼, ½ and ¾. It does nothing with 1/3.
- Insert a symbol. In Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, choose the “Number Forms” subset to see ⅓, ⅛ and the rest.
- Code and Alt+X. Type the hexadecimal code, for example 2153, and press Alt+X in Word for Windows. Word turns it into ⅓. If the code sits right next to another character, select only the code before you press the keys.
- Equation editor. The shortcut is Alt+=, or Insert > Equation. Inside it, type the fraction with a slash and press the spacebar. It works for any fraction. In the “Linear” format the equation stays as text, with the slash, and in the “Professional” format it is stacked.
Equations are Word objects and do not copy well into an email or a spreadsheet. If you are going to paste the result outside the document, the symbol or the ordinary slash travels better.
How to type fractions in Google Docs
Docs has no feature that changes 1/2 to ½ in general, so there are two routes.
For fractions with a symbol, open Insert > Symbols > Special characters. You can search by category, type the Unicode value (for example, 00BD) or draw the character in the box. For the rest, open Insert > Equation and type the \frac command followed by a space: a fraction appears with two empty boxes, one for the numerator and one for the denominator.
Alt codes on Windows
Hold down the Alt key and type the code on the numeric keypad, not on the row of numbers along the top. If your keyboard needs it, turn on Num Lock first.
| Symbol | Code |
|---|---|
| ¼ | Alt+0188 |
| ½ | Alt+0189 |
| ¾ | Alt+0190 |
Only these three have an Alt code. For the others, copy the symbol or use the Word methods. There are no equivalent codes on a Mac, and the question about the Character Viewer is in the FAQ.
Fractions without a symbol, and mixed numbers
For 7/16 or any fraction without a character of its own, there are three options. The clearest is the ordinary slash, which calculators, spreadsheets and search engines understand. The second is the fraction slash, ⁄, which you type with the code U+2044 and which also works with Unicode superscripts and subscripts, as in ⁷⁄₁₆. The third is the equation editor, built for math documents with many fractions.
Mixed numbers have a spacing trap. With a symbol, the whole number goes right next to the character, as in 2½. With a slash, it needs a space.
If the fraction is improper, like 9/4, you can also write it as a mixed number: 2 1/4. The fraction glossary defines numerator, denominator, improper fraction and mixed number.
On web pages and in LaTeX
In HTML, the entities ½, ¼ and ¾ display ½, ¼ and ¾. Any other symbol is written with its numeric code, for example ⅓ for ⅓. For the rest, type the ordinary slash or combine <sup>7</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub>.
In LaTeX, \frac{3}{4} produces the stacked fraction in math mode. For the inline form, type 3/4.
Symbol or slash: which to choose
Use ½ in recipes, measurements and short headings, where the symbol takes little room and reads well. Use the slash in calculations, spreadsheets, search engines and running text, because a program may treat ½ as a character rather than a number, and screen readers may read it differently. Pick one style per list: 1/4, 1/3 and 7/16 read better together than ¼, 1/3 and 7/16.
If you want to check the value of a fraction before you type it, the fraction calculator simplifies it, and fraction to decimal gives its decimal form.