Jabu notices Scelo’s face and asks, “Why you are so serious!” Scelo puts his kota on the bench next to Jabu’s kota. “I got my kota from Mr Motaung. The kotas are equal in size, but mine has less filling!” “Yes,” says Nomsa, “that’s exactly why so many kids are buying from Mr Mkhize’s shop now.”

“So Mr Mkhize is a changed man? He used to slice one loaf of bread into five parts to make his kotas!” says Tebogo. “Ah!” replies Nomsa, “that was not a kota at all!” “Why was it not a kota?” asks Scelo.

“Ha Scelo!” laughs Nomsa. “Don’t you remember what our teacher taught us about fractions? Cutting one loaf of bread into five equal pieces does not give us quarters. It gives us fifths.” Scelo thinks, then he says, “I remember! Each part of a whole divided into 5 equal parts is ⅕ of the whole. Each part of a whole divided into 4 equal pieces is ¼ of the whole.”