Fractions are a kind of number that refer to equal parts of a thing or to equal groups within a larger group of people or things. An item or a group of items is divided into two or more parts or groups, and a fraction refers to one or more of those parts or groups.
>For the drink offering, you must offer <u>a third</u> of a hin of wine. (Numbers 15:7 ULB)
A hin is a container used for measuring wine and other liquids. They were to think about dividing a hin container into three equal parts and fill up only one of those parts, and offer that amount.
><u>a third</u> of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:9 ULB)
There were many ships. If all those ships were divided into three equal groups of ships, one group of ships was destroyed.
**Reason this is a translation issue:** Some languages do not use fractions. They may simply talk about parts or groups, but they do not use fractions to tell how big a part is or how many are included in a group.
>Now to <u>one half</u> of the tribe of Manasseh, Moses had given an inheritance in Bashan, but to the other <u>half</u>, Joshua gave an inheritance beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. (Joshua 22:7 ULB)
The tribe of Manasseh divided into two groups. The phrase "one half of the tribe of Manasseh" refers one of those groups. The phrase "the other half" refers to the other group.
>The four angels who had been prepared for that very hour, that day, that month, and that year, were released to kill <u>a third</u> of humanity. (Revelation 9:15 ULB)
If all the people were to be divided into three equal groups, then the number of people in one group would be killed.
>You must also prepare <u>a fourth</u> of a hin of wine as the drink offering. (Numbers 15:5 ULB)
They were to imagine dividing a hin of wine into four equal parts and prepare the amount equal to one of them.
### Translation Strategies
If a fraction in your language would give the right meaning, consider using it. If not, you could consider these strategies.
1. Tell the number of parts or groups that the item would be divided into, and then tell the number of parts or groups that is being referred to.
1. For measurements such as for weight and length, use a unit that your people might know or the unit in the UDB.
1. For measurements, use ones that are used in your language. In order to do that you would need to know how your measurements relates to the metric system and figure out each measurement.
* **then you must offer with the bull a grain offering of <u>three tenths</u> of an ephah of fine flour mixed with <u>half a hin</u> of oil.** (Numbers 15:9 ULB)
* ... then you must <u>divide</u> an ephah of fine flour <u>into ten parts</u> and <u>divide</u> a hin of oil <u>into two parts</u>. Then mix <u>three of those parts</u> of the flour with <u>one of the parts</u> of oil. Then you must offer that grain offering along with the bull.
2. For measurements, use the measurements that are given in the UDB. The translators of the UDB have already figured how to represent the amounts in the metric system.
3. For measurements, use ones that are used in your language. In order to do that you would need to know how your measurements relates to the metric system and figure out each measurement.
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