Regardless of the existence of the metric system and an elevated reliance in recent times on decimal fractions to jot down partial quantities (akin to 2.5), we regularly discover ourselves desirous to drop in a real fraction. We all know that ½ or ¾ seems snazzier than 1/2 and three/4, like ensuring you’re utilizing curly or typographer’s citation marks as a substitute of straight typewriter ones.

However you may simply be stymied when typing in Microsoft Phrase or Apple’s Pages: not all fractions look like “accessible.” You may simulate them by utilizing font styling to decide on superscript (for the highest quantity, or numerator) and subscript (for the underside one, the divisor referred to as the denominator), however then, doesn’t the slash between them look fallacious?

There are two cascading points:

• First, does your software program determine if you’re typing a fraction and convert it to one thing extra compact?
• Second, does the typeface you’re utilizing embody “drawn” fractions for those in query?

What Phrase and Pages can do

Phrase solely robotically substitutes a small subset of typed numbers with the “appropriate” fractions from a typeface: 1/2, 1/4, and three/4.

Pages has a higher selection. In my testing and seemingly relying on the typeface, it’s going to drop in all accessible fractions when the denominator is 2 up by way of 10 (from 1/2 to 9/10, say). So, sort 5/8, and also you get the neat trying ⅝. Nonetheless, these fractions can differ in look, as Pages will present ones which might be each utilizing the design of the typeface and ones that look far more generic and are clearly pulled from one other font.

Foundry

What when you’re utilizing one thing that doesn’t match autoformatting? Otherwise you need one thing extra exact? You may leap right into a handbook course of with some shortcuts.

Format with “pretend” fractions

We consider typefaces as having all crucial letters, numbers, and symbols we have to write essays, studies, and internet pages. In actual fact, few typefaces include each attainable character, as most individuals want solely a sure variety of these for day-to-day use. A fancier typeface, one designed for extra refined or subtler typographic functions, typically contains plenty of extras, like many ligatures, or drawn-as-joined characters. The fi and ff ones are widespread, however some faces embody st and Th as properly.

With fractions, some fonts–particular person types of a typeface, like daring or 800 or condensed indirect–could have solely essentially the most fundamental ratios, that are sometimes 1/2, 1/4, 3/4, 1/3, 2/3, and three/3. Others could fill out the fraction household for eighths, too.

Nonetheless, many fonts do embody drawn superscripts and subscripts designed for use for footnotes, scientific notation, and fractions. These are created by the sort designer to have the identical really feel and weight as different characters in a given model of a typeface. However you need to work to select them.

You may select superscript (the higher quantity) and subscript (the decrease) for numerals by utilizing styling selections in Phrase or Pages. When chosen, these apps don’t decide the drawn letter however moderately shrink a daily numeral down and reposition it vertically. This will make the fractions stand out awkwardly in case your doc is in any other case well-designed or even when it makes use of a single weight (like Georgia Roman) and a single measurement of a typeface. (You may inform when somebody depends on footnotes that haven’t been given a designer’s move, as they the superscript numbers will appear lighter or thinner in comparison with the primary physique textual content—generally almost unreadably so.)

Nonetheless, this technique is easy and quick; it’s applicable for private and casual makes use of. Right here’s the right way to make “pretend” superscripts and subscripts:

• In Phrase with Dwelling chosen within the toolbar, choose numbers within the textual content, after which click on the x-sub-2 and x-super-2 buttons.
• In Pages, with textual content chosen, both select Format > Font > Baseline after which Superscript or Subscript, or press Command-Management-plus for superscript or Command-Management-minus for subscript.

Format with “true” or drawn fractions

If you wish to goal for one thing typographically constant, you may entry the drawn superscripts and subscripts in a font by way of the Character Viewer. When you don’t know the right way to entry this palette, see “Find out how to use macOS’s Character Viewer to sort emoji and different symbols.”

Caption: The Character Viewer provides you direct entry to picking well-proportioned fractions.

The best means to make use of the Character Viewer to seek out fractions is to customise the show:

1. Click on the … (extra) image within the upper-left nook.
2. Select Customise Record.
3. Within the Symbols part, examine the Digits – All field.
4. Click on Accomplished.

Now if you deliver up the palette and click on Digits – All, you’ll see each quantity accessible in Unicode, which incorporates fractions and the characters for drawn superscripts and subscripts.

You may drag or double-click any merchandise within the palette right into a doc. You probably have the textual content insertion cursor at some extent the place you may enter textual content in Phrase or Pages, double-clicking inserts. In any other case, drag the character into the doc. When you copy (Command+C) the fraction after which paste it, it’s going to paste the fraction and its character information; you may delete the unneeded information.

It may be annoying to scroll every time to seek out what you want. To bypass the scrolling, select every fraction and click on Add to Favorites below its preview on the proper aspect of the viewer. Then you may click on the Favorites hyperlink within the left-hand listing.

Foundry

I’ve discovered that in some typefaces, the superscript 1, 2, and three don’t match the opposite numbers, probably for historic causes. When you discover that distinction, you may have a workaround that depends on OpenType options you may entry by way of the Typography palette in Pages solely:

1. Press Command-T to open the Fonts palette.
2. Choose a numeral in your Pages doc.
3. Within the palette, click on the Extra … button to pick Typography and reveal the Typography palette.
4. Click on the Vertical Place part to point out choices, and select Superiors/Superscripts or Inferiors/Subscripts as applicable.

If the typeface accommodates the right characters, you’ll then be capable of compose excellent fractions. You may additionally want to regulate character spacing to make the fractions look excellent: click on the gear menu within the Format > Textual content palette and cut back Character Spacing.

Get the correct ahead slash

There’s yet one more subtlety you may invoke if you wish to put the cherry on prime of the fraction cake. There are a number of sorts of ahead slashes in most typefaces and outlined within the overarching Unicode format. A daily slash is about 20 levels from the vertical; one used with a fraction is nearer to 30 levels. The fraction slash in a typeface suits extra neatly with the drawn superscript and subscripts, and have the right thickness of stroke to make all of it appear like a designed unit.

Search within the Character palette for “fraction slash” to seek out and fave that extra-special diagonal.

Construct what you want

When you continuously want fractions, you can construct a doc with widespread fractions constructed from superscripts, fraction slash, and subscripts, after which copy and paste them in as wanted into your most important doc. Or you can sort regular fractions, like 5/8, after which search and change for that textual content, changing with drawn numbers like ⅝.