Partitions, or divisions, refer to the process of dividing a whole into smaller, distinct parts. This concept is commonly used in mathematics, where a number can be partitioned into sums of other numbers. For example, the number 5 can be partitioned into 2 + 3 or 1 + 1 + 3. In computer science, partitions are used to organize data efficiently. For instance, in databases, data can be partitioned to improve performance and manageability. Each partition can be stored separately, allowing for faster access and easier maintenance, especially in large datasets like those found in big data applications.