2424. _One half_ may be expressed by #dīmidium# or #dīmidia pars#; other
fractions with 1 as a numerator by ordinals, with or without #pars#: as,
#tertia pars# or #tertia#, 1/3.
2425. If the numerator is greater than 1 it is usually expressed by the
cardinal feminine, with the ordinal feminine for the denominator: as,
#duae septimae#, 2/7. But besides these forms there are others, namely:
2426. (1.) Fractions with a numerator less by 1 than the denominator,
except 1/2, may be expressed by cardinals with #partēs#, as, #duae
partēs#, 2/3; #trēs partēs#, 3/4; #quattuor partēs#, 4/5.
2427. (2.) Fractions with 12 or its multiples as a denominator are
expressed in business language by the parts of an #ās#: thus,
1/12, uncia
1/6, sextāns
1/4, quadrāns
1/3, triēns
5/12, quīncunx
1/2, sēmis
7/12, septunx
2/3, bēs
3/4, dōdrāns
5/6, dēxtāns
11/12, deūnx
12/12, ās
#ex āsse hērēs#, Quintil. 7, 1, 20, _heir to the whole_; #relīquit
hērēdēs ex bēsse nepōtem, ex tertiā parte neptem#, Plin. _Ep._ 7, 24, 2,
_she left her grandson heir to 2/3, her granddaughter to 1/3_. #hērēdem
ex dōdrante#, N. 25, 5, 2, _heir to 3/4_.
2428. Sometimes fractions are expressed by addition: as, #dīmidia et
quarta#, 3/4; #pars tertia et septima#, 10/21; sometimes by division of
the denominator: as, #dīmidia quīnta#, 1/10.
(E.) PROSODY.