Definition
Fair sharing
Fair sharing makes a stated number of equal amounts and uses all of the starting quantity.
Continue from this idea into connected AXIO math.
What it means
First decide how many shares are needed. Give or cut the starting quantity so every share ends with the same amount. Then check both conditions: the amounts match, and every item or part has been used. Equal numbers of unequal-sized pieces do not guarantee equal amounts.
Remember it
Same amount in every share; nothing left out.
Example
Four children share 10 identical crackers. Give 2 whole crackers to each child, using 8. Split each of the 2 remaining crackers into halves and give one half to each child. Everyone gets 2½ crackers, and all 10 crackers are used.
Watch for
Fair sharing is about equal amounts, not merely equal piece counts. Two children can each receive one piece and still have unequal shares if one piece is larger; leaving anything unshared also fails the check.
Common mix-up
Sharing division is a division interpretation used to calculate a share size or a number of shares. Fair sharing names the equality-and-whole-use condition that the finished sharing must satisfy.
Exact meaning
Fair sharing divides a starting quantity among a stated number of recipients so every share has the same amount and none of the quantity is left unshared. A share may be a whole-number or fractional amount.