Thursday, April 04, 2019

Korean Math: Is it proper for a child to be larger than its mother?

ANSWER: No!

The Korean for the math term "fraction" is 분수 (分數), which literally means "a divided (分) number (數)." The Korean for the top portion of a fraction, or the numerator, is 분자 (分子), which literally means "the child of the division," and the Korean for the bottom portion, or denominator, is 분모 (分母), which literally means "the mother of the division." In other words, Koreans see a fraction as a mother-child relationship with the child being the smaller (upper) part of the fraction.

A fraction is considered a "proper fraction" when its numerator is smaller than its denominator, and an "improper fraction" when its numerator is larger than its denominator. The Korean for "proper fraction" is 진분수 (眞分數), which literally means “true (眞) fraction (分數),” and the Korean for an “improper fraction” is 가분수 (假分數), which literally means “pretend (假) fraction (分數)” or “false fraction.”

So, if the “child” part of a fraction is larger than the “mother” part, it is an “improper fraction."

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