What are fraction strips?

Fraction strips are bars cut into equal parts, each part a unit fraction such as 1/4, laid against a bar that stands for one whole. This workbench draws every piece to scale against one whole unit that you can name, such as 1 whole or 1 pizza. Put pieces in separate rows to compare them, or end to end in one row to add them. A piece keeps its exact value wherever it sits.

How does the workbench show that two fractions are equivalent?

With Common origin on, every row packs its pieces end to end from 0. When two or more rows end at exactly the same fraction, a dashed marker joins them and the markers list reads, for example, 1/2 = 3/6. Select a single piece and the readout lists every row whose pieces reach exactly its right edge, so the first half in the fraction wall example reads 1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6 = 4/8 = 5/10 = 6/12. The comparison is whole-number arithmetic on the fractions, never the drawn pixels.

Can I add fractions with different denominators?

Yes. Put the pieces in one row: three 1/4 pieces and one 1/2 piece read as 3 × 1/4 + 1/2 = 3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4, and the row runs 1 1/4 wholes, past the end of the whole bar. Select any pieces, in any rows, to see their exact total as a fraction, a mixed number and a decimal. Decimals that end are shown in full; repeating ones such as 1/3 are rounded to three places and marked ≈.

How do I divide fractions using the strips?

Keep Common origin on. Build the dividend in one row and the divisor in another, then choose those rows under Divide row totals. Example: division sets up 3/4 divided by 1/2, giving 3/2, or 1 1/2 divisor-sized groups. Dashed guides show full groups and the remaining length when there are at most 20 full groups. A zero divisor is refused. The division comparison is shown on the page; downloads contain the workspace and its row totals.

How can I order fractions or subtract with strips?

With Common origin on, build each fraction in a separate row and compare the right endpoints: a row ending farther right has a larger total. To model 3/4 minus 1/2, add three quarter pieces, select two and use Delete selected. The remaining quarter is the difference. Undo restores the removed pieces.

What does free placement do?

Free placement lets each piece sit anywhere along its row instead of packing from 0. A dragged piece snaps to a nearby exact edge: the origin, a whole number, or the start or end of another piece. You can also select one piece and type an exact start such as 1/3. Moving a piece never changes its value. A row whose pieces overlap or leave gaps is flagged and left out of the equivalence markers, because its drawn length is no longer its total.

Can I use it without a mouse or on a phone?

Yes. Every piece is a keyboard control: Tab to it, press Enter or Space to select it, use the arrow keys to move it (left and right within its row, up and down between rows) and press Delete to remove it. The Move buttons do the same for one selected piece. On a touch screen, drag a piece with your finger or tap it to select it, or turn on Scroll workspace so that touch scrolls the drawing instead.

What can I save or print?

Download SVG gives a vector drawing of the workspace at the current zoom, with the title, the whole unit and each row's total. Download PDF lays the rows out on US Letter or A4 landscape pages, scaled so the longest row fits the width, with each row's total printed under its bar; any character the PDF font cannot draw prints as ? and the SVG keeps it. Save project writes a versioned JSON file, and Open project checks the whole file before it replaces anything. Blank labels hide piece labels and totals in the drawing and in both downloads, for a worksheet.

How many pieces does it hold, and is my work kept?

A workspace holds up to 200 pieces in up to 40 rows, with denominators from 1 to 20. After you change something, the workspace is kept in this browser's storage, when the browser allows it, and comes back when you return on this device. Undo steps back through the last 50 changes, including opening an example or a project file.

How do I make a printable fraction-strip activity?

Open Example: fraction wall for a chart through twelfths, or build rows with the denominator and How many controls. Choose Blank to hide piece labels and totals, then Download PDF or Download SVG. You can print and cut out the bars, compare matching endpoints, or ask for a sum before switching back to Fractions to reveal it. This page creates coloured strips; it has no black-and-white export setting.

How can I fold paper strips to show halves, quarters and eighths?

Start with three equal-length rectangular paper strips, each representing one whole. On the first, bring the two short ends together, crease halfway along the length, then unfold: there are 2 equal parts, each 1/2. Fold the second the same way, keep it folded and bring its short ends together again; unfold both folds to see 4 equal parts, each 1/4. Give the third one more equal half-fold before unfolding to see 8 equal parts, each 1/8. Align all three strips at one end: 1/2 matches 2/4 and 4/8. For a matching printed reference, open Example: fraction wall with Common origin and Fractions selected. Its halves, quarters and eighths rows each span one whole. Select the first half to compare endpoints, then Download PDF or Download SVG and print the rows together at the same scale. You fold your paper; the page supplies the reference.

Is this a free online fraction-strip tool?

Yes. Arrange and move the strips in your browser without installing software. The palette includes every denominator from 1 to 20, including sevenths, ninths and sixteenths. It is a workbench for building models, not a scored game or a store for physical magnetic strips.

Fraction Strip Workbench

Add and move unit fraction strips from 1/1 to 1/20 against one shared whole. Read exact sums, compare rows and divide their totals. Select a piece: the first half of a fraction wall reads 1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6 = 4/8 = 5/10 = 6/12. Save your workspace as SVG, PDF or a project file.

Add pieces to row 1

Unit fraction 1/n (n from 1 to 20)How many (1 to 20)Add to row

Workspace settings

Alignment

Labels

Zoom

Workspace titleWhole unit name

Examples

Workspace

Drag a piece to reorder it or move it to another row, or focus it and use the arrow keys. Tap or press Enter to select pieces for a total. One whole is 256 pixels at 100%.

With Scroll workspace on, touch scrolls the drawing and taps still select; pieces move with the buttons below.

Add a unit fraction to a row to start. Every total is an exact fraction.

Selected total: None selected

In whole units: Select pieces to total them

Pieces on the workspace: 0 of 200

Equivalence marker: None yet

Group name

Equivalence markers

No two rows cover exactly the same stretch yet. Rows with gaps or overlaps are never compared.

Rows

Row	Pieces and exact total	Note	Actions
1	empty
2	empty
3	empty

Divide row totals

Dividend rowDivisor row

The divisor row totals 0. Division by zero is undefined; add a piece to that row or choose a nonempty divisor row.

The comparison uses the pieces in the chosen rows. Downloads and Copy summary contain the workspace row totals; this division readout is shown here.

Open projectPDF paper

Worked cases

2/6 + 1/6 against 1/2Two rows packed from the common origin
2/6 + 1/6 = 3/6 = 1/2: equal to 1/2, and both rows end at 1/2, so the endpoints align
3/4 + 1/2One row, running past the end of the whole bar
3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4 = 1 1/4: spans 1.25 whole units
1/3 + 1/4 + 1/12One row; the decimal is rounded to three places
1/3 + 1/4 + 1/12 = 2/3 ≈ 0.667

Common questions

What are fraction strips?: Fraction strips are bars cut into equal parts, each part a unit fraction such as 1/4, laid against a bar that stands for one whole. This workbench draws every piece to scale against one whole unit that you can name, such as 1 whole or 1 pizza. Put pieces in separate rows to compare them, or end to end in one row to add them. A piece keeps its exact value wherever it sits.
How does the workbench show that two fractions are equivalent?: With Common origin on, every row packs its pieces end to end from 0. When two or more rows end at exactly the same fraction, a dashed marker joins them and the markers list reads, for example, 1/2 = 3/6. Select a single piece and the readout lists every row whose pieces reach exactly its right edge, so the first half in the fraction wall example reads 1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6 = 4/8 = 5/10 = 6/12. The comparison is whole-number arithmetic on the fractions, never the drawn pixels.
Can I add fractions with different denominators?: Yes. Put the pieces in one row: three 1/4 pieces and one 1/2 piece read as 3 × 1/4 + 1/2 = 3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4, and the row runs 1 1/4 wholes, past the end of the whole bar. Select any pieces, in any rows, to see their exact total as a fraction, a mixed number and a decimal. Decimals that end are shown in full; repeating ones such as 1/3 are rounded to three places and marked ≈.
How do I divide fractions using the strips?: Keep Common origin on. Build the dividend in one row and the divisor in another, then choose those rows under Divide row totals. Example: division sets up 3/4 divided by 1/2, giving 3/2, or 1 1/2 divisor-sized groups. Dashed guides show full groups and the remaining length when there are at most 20 full groups. A zero divisor is refused. The division comparison is shown on the page; downloads contain the workspace and its row totals.
How can I order fractions or subtract with strips?: With Common origin on, build each fraction in a separate row and compare the right endpoints: a row ending farther right has a larger total. To model 3/4 minus 1/2, add three quarter pieces, select two and use Delete selected. The remaining quarter is the difference. Undo restores the removed pieces.
What does free placement do?: Free placement lets each piece sit anywhere along its row instead of packing from 0. A dragged piece snaps to a nearby exact edge: the origin, a whole number, or the start or end of another piece. You can also select one piece and type an exact start such as 1/3. Moving a piece never changes its value. A row whose pieces overlap or leave gaps is flagged and left out of the equivalence markers, because its drawn length is no longer its total.
Can I use it without a mouse or on a phone?: Yes. Every piece is a keyboard control: Tab to it, press Enter or Space to select it, use the arrow keys to move it (left and right within its row, up and down between rows) and press Delete to remove it. The Move buttons do the same for one selected piece. On a touch screen, drag a piece with your finger or tap it to select it, or turn on Scroll workspace so that touch scrolls the drawing instead.
What can I save or print?: Download SVG gives a vector drawing of the workspace at the current zoom, with the title, the whole unit and each row's total. Download PDF lays the rows out on US Letter or A4 landscape pages, scaled so the longest row fits the width, with each row's total printed under its bar; any character the PDF font cannot draw prints as ? and the SVG keeps it. Save project writes a versioned JSON file, and Open project checks the whole file before it replaces anything. Blank labels hide piece labels and totals in the drawing and in both downloads, for a worksheet.
How many pieces does it hold, and is my work kept?: A workspace holds up to 200 pieces in up to 40 rows, with denominators from 1 to 20. After you change something, the workspace is kept in this browser's storage, when the browser allows it, and comes back when you return on this device. Undo steps back through the last 50 changes, including opening an example or a project file.
How do I make a printable fraction-strip activity?: Open Example: fraction wall for a chart through twelfths, or build rows with the denominator and How many controls. Choose Blank to hide piece labels and totals, then Download PDF or Download SVG. You can print and cut out the bars, compare matching endpoints, or ask for a sum before switching back to Fractions to reveal it. This page creates coloured strips; it has no black-and-white export setting.
How can I fold paper strips to show halves, quarters and eighths?: Start with three equal-length rectangular paper strips, each representing one whole. On the first, bring the two short ends together, crease halfway along the length, then unfold: there are 2 equal parts, each 1/2. Fold the second the same way, keep it folded and bring its short ends together again; unfold both folds to see 4 equal parts, each 1/4. Give the third one more equal half-fold before unfolding to see 8 equal parts, each 1/8. Align all three strips at one end: 1/2 matches 2/4 and 4/8. For a matching printed reference, open Example: fraction wall with Common origin and Fractions selected. Its halves, quarters and eighths rows each span one whole. Select the first half to compare endpoints, then Download PDF or Download SVG and print the rows together at the same scale. You fold your paper; the page supplies the reference.
Is this a free online fraction-strip tool?: Yes. Arrange and move the strips in your browser without installing software. The palette includes every denominator from 1 to 20, including sevenths, ninths and sixteenths. It is a workbench for building models, not a scored game or a store for physical magnetic strips.

Rational values are exact; pixels are a schematic representation sharing one explicit whole unit. Free movement does not change a piece value. No automatic assessment of student ability, photocopy of curriculum or claim that arbitrary visual overlap is a valid operation.