Fraction Symbols Copy and Paste

Build any fraction you like, for example ⁷⁄₉

Three pieces, in this order: a superscript numerator, the fraction slash ⁄ (U+2044, not the ordinary slash), then a subscript denominator. Copy ⁷ then ⁄ then ₉ and you have ⁷⁄₉. The same recipe gives ³⁄₃₂, ¹¹⁄₁₆ or ⁵⁄₈ when the precomposed version does not exist.

The fraction slash is not just a narrower slash. Fonts with OpenType fraction support use it as a signal to tuck the numerator and denominator together, which is why ⁷⁄₉ usually looks tighter than 7/9. In fonts without that support you still get a readable diagonal fraction because the digits are already raised and lowered.

Two things to watch. Superscript and subscript digits are separate characters, so a spell checker or a search box treats ⁷⁄₉ as three characters rather than a number, and screen readers may read them digit by digit. For body text in a document that people will edit or search, a plain 7/9 or a real equation object is often the better choice.

• ⁷ + ⁄ + ₉ gives ⁷⁄₉
• ³ + ⁄ + ₃₂ gives ³⁄₃₂
• ¹ + ⁄ + ₁₆ gives ¹⁄₁₆
• ²⁵ + ⁄ + ₆₄ gives ²⁵⁄₆₄

How to type fractions on Windows

The three Latin-1 fractions have short ALT codes: hold ALT and type 0189 for ½, 0188 for ¼ and 0190 for ¾ on the numeric keypad. Everything else uses its full decimal code, for example ALT 8531 for ⅓ and ALT 8539 for ⅛.

In Microsoft Word, type the hexadecimal code point then press ALT + X: 00BD becomes ½ and 215B becomes ⅛. Word also converts as you type: 1/2, 1/4 and 3/4 automatically turn into ½, ¼ and ¾ when Fractions is ticked under File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect > AutoFormat As You Type. Other fractions are left alone, because Word only substitutes the ones guaranteed to exist in the font.

For a stacked fraction with a horizontal bar, press ALT + = to open an equation field and type 7/9 followed by a space.

How to type fractions on a Mac

Press CTRL + CMD + SPACE to open the Character Viewer, search for fraction, and double click the one you want. All the vulgar fractions sit together under Digits in the sidebar, and dragging them into Favourites saves you the search next time.

Pages, Keynote and TextEdit can format fractions automatically. Turn on Format fractions automatically in the Auto-Correction settings and typing 1/2 becomes ½ as you go. For fractions the font cannot build, use the Equation editor (Insert > Equation) with the LaTeX command \frac{7}{9}.

If you need one fraction constantly, add it under System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input > Text Replacements so a short trigger such as 12f expands to ½ across your apps.

Fractions in HTML, CSS and LaTeX

HTML has named entities for the original three (½ ¼ ¾) and numeric entities for the rest, such as ⅓ for ⅓. The fraction slash is ⁄. A hand-built fraction looks like ⁷⁄₉, which stays selectable and searchable as the digits 7 and 9.

In CSS, font-variant-numeric: diagonal-fractions turns a plain 7/9 into a proper fraction in any font that carries the frac feature, including most modern web fonts. That keeps your markup as ordinary digits, which is better for copy and paste and for search. Fallback: wrap the parts in <sup> and <sub> and reduce the line height so the fraction does not push the line apart.

LaTeX is simplest of all: \frac{7}{9} in maths mode, \tfrac for an inline-sized version, and \sfrac{7}{9} from the xfrac package when you want the diagonal look.

Fractions in Google Docs, Word, Excel and Sheets

Google Docs: Insert > Special characters and search for fraction, or draw the shape in the sketch box. Docs also converts 1/2, 1/4 and 3/4 by default under Tools > Preferences > Substitutions, and you can add your own rows there, for example 7/9 to ⁷⁄₉. Insert > Equation handles the stacked form.

Excel: typing 1/2 into a General cell gives you 2 January, because Excel reads it as a date. Type 0 then a space then 1/2 to get the number 0.5 displayed as a fraction, or format the cell with Format Cells > Number > Fraction, or use the custom format # ?/?. The fraction characters themselves are plain text in Excel, so ½ in a cell will not be added up.

Google Sheets behaves the same way, and =UNICHAR(189) returns ½ if you want the character from a formula. For anything you plan to calculate with, store 0.5 and let the number format do the display work.