Alt Codes for Vulgar Fractions (¼ ¾ ½)

Below is the complete list of Windows Alt Codes for Vulgar Fractions, their corresponding HTML entity numeric character references, and when available, their corresponding HTML entity named character references, and Unicode code points. Vulgar fractions are also called simple fractions or common fractions. If you are new to Alt codes and need detailed instructions on how to use Alt codes in your Microsoft Office documents such as Word, Excel & PowerPoint or applicable Microsoft Windows programs & applications, please read How to Use Alt Codes to Enter Special Characters. If you want, instead of using Alt codes, you can also just quickly tap or click any vulgar fraction symbol in the list below to copy and paste it into your document. (Note: Some symbols might not display correctly due to device or platform limitations in character/text representation.)

Vulgar fractions, also known as common fractions, are a way of representing rational numbers. They consist of two integers: the numerator and the denominator. The numerator is the number above the line, and the denominator is the number below the line. The denominator indicates the number of equal parts into which the whole is divided, and the numerator indicates how many of those parts are being considered.

The term “vulgar fractions” might seem unusual or even pejorative in modern usage, but its origin is rooted in the historical and linguistic context of mathematics. The word “vulgar” in this context comes from the Latin word “vulgaris,” which means “common” or “ordinary.” In mathematics, “vulgar fractions” are called such because they are the common or ordinary way of representing fractions, as opposed to other, more specialized or less intuitive forms of fractional representation.

For more math signs and symbols, see Alt Codes for Math Symbols. For the the complete list of the first 256 Windows Alt Codes, visit Windows Alt Codes for Special Characters & Symbols.