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Math in the Natural Sciences

Math in Biology

How does the adult brain process fractions?

For those who found it challenging to work out fractions in elementary math class, researchers have discovered that the adult brain actually encodes fractions automatically without conscious thought. According to one study, the cells in the brain’s pre-frontal cortex and intrapariental sulcus seem to respond to particular fractions. And since these sections of the brain are responsible for processing whole numbers, it may mean that adults develop an intuitive understanding of fractions, whether they are presented as numbers (½) or words (one half). If this is true, can adults “speak in fractions”? Three-quarters, please.



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