Definition
Unequal sharing
Unequal sharing splits one total into different-sized shares that follow a stated rule.
What it means
The shares are different sizes, but they are not guessed. A rule tells how the shares compare. You can turn that rule into equal units, find the value of one unit, and build every share. At the end, all the shares must join back to the whole amount.
Remember it
Different sizes, one rule, same whole.
Example
Share 28 counters so one share is three times the other. The shares use 1 + 3 = 4 equal units, so each unit is 28 ÷ 4 = 7. The shares are 7 and 21, and 7 + 21 = 28.
Watch for
Giving two people any different amounts is not enough; without a stated relationship, the split is arbitrary rather than an unequal-sharing problem.
Common mix-up
Unequal does not mean random. The comparison rule controls every share.
Exact meaning
Unequal sharing divides one total into shares that are not all the same size, while a stated relationship—such as a ratio, multiplier, or difference—determines each size; taken together, the shares account for exactly the amount that was divided.