40
40/1
A whole number.
Types of fractions
Whole Numbers as Fractions
Write any whole number as a fraction in one step. Convert 40, 29,000, 6, 15, and more by placing the number over 1.
Answer
40=401
40 written as a fraction is 40/1. Dividing by 1 does not change a number, so this is already the simplest form.
Equivalent forms: 40/1 = 80/2 = 120/3
Quick answer
For every whole number n, write n/1. For example, 6 = 6/1, 40 = 40/1, and 29,000 = 29,000/1. A denominator of 1 does not change the number’s value.
The rule
How to write a whole number as a fraction
Use the whole number as the numerator, then write 1 as the denominator. If the number is 15, write 15/1. If the number is 40, write 40/1. If the number is 29,000, write 29,000/1. The same single rule works no matter how many digits the whole number has.
The fraction bar means division. Therefore n/1 means n ÷ 1. Dividing by 1 leaves a number unchanged, so the fraction and the original whole number have exactly the same value.
Worked examples
Examples: 2, 6, 15, 40, and 29,000 as fractions
Whole numberFraction formCheck
22/12 ÷ 1 = 2
66/16 ÷ 1 = 6
1515/115 ÷ 1 = 15
4040/140 ÷ 1 = 40
29,00029,000/129,000 ÷ 1 = 29,000
Each answer is already simplified. You can create equivalent fractions, such as 40/1 = 80/2, by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the same number. But the over-1 form is the shortest standard answer.
Know the limits
Do not use the whole-number rule for decimals or percents
0.40
40/100 = 2/5
Forty hundredths.
40%
40/100 = 2/5
Forty out of one hundred.
Keep learning
Compare other types of fractions
Whole numbers can be written as improper fractions over 1. Next, compare them with proper fractions, mixed numbers, and fraction notation.
Learn about proper fractions →Common questions
Whole Numbers as Fractions FAQ
Put the whole number in the numerator and write 1 in the denominator. For any whole number n, n = n/1.