The fractions 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 represent parts of a whole. 1/2 means one part out of two equal parts, which is often referred to as "half." For example, if you divide a pizza into two equal slices, one slice is 1/2 of the pizza. Similarly, 1/3 indicates one part out of three equal parts, while 1/4 signifies one part out of four equal parts. If you cut a cake into three equal pieces, each piece is 1/3 of the cake. If you divide it into four pieces, each piece is 1/4. These fractions help us understand division and sharing.