section_path: Forms of fractions/Simple, common, or vulgar fractions
section_name: Simple, common, or vulgar fractions
paragraph_text: Simple, common, or vulgar fractions
  
  A simple fraction (also known as a common fraction or vulgar fraction, where vulgar is Latin for "common") is a rational number written as a / b or a b {\displaystyle {\tfrac {a}{b}}}, where a and b are both integers. As with other fractions, the denominator (b) cannot be zero. Examples include 1 / 2, − 8 / 5, −8 / 5, and 8 / −5. The term was originally used to distinguish this type of fraction from the sexagesimal fraction used in astronomy.
  
  Common fractions can be positive or negative, and they can be proper or improper (see below). Compound fractions, complex fractions, mixed numerals, and decimals (see below) are not common fractions; though, unless irrational, they can be evaluated to a common fraction.
  
  In Unicode, precomposed fraction characters are in the Number Forms block.