Fraksiyon

Fraksiyon is a Turkish noun that denotes two broad ideas, depending on context. In everyday Turkish, it most commonly means a fraction in mathematics or a faction within a larger organization. The word is borrowed from the French word fraction (and ultimately Latin fractio), and has been used in Turkish since the 19th century to describe parts, shares, or subgroups within a whole.

In mathematics, fraksiyon refers to a part of a whole expressed as a ratio of two integers, such as 1/2 or 3/4. It covers proper fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers, and is used in arithmetic, algebra, and education. The concept is tied to operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions, and to simplifying fractions to lowest terms.

In politics and organizational life, fraksiyon commonly translates as faction or caucus. It designates a group of members within a party or parliament who share a common program or leadership and coordinate actions, debate, and voting. In parliamentary systems like Turkey's, a fraksiyon may have designated speaking time, committee representation, and a formal leadership structure separate from individual members.

In science and industry, fraksiyon can refer to a fraction in a fractionation process, where a mixture is separated into components known as fractions. This usage appears in chemistry, pharmacology, and chromatography, where different fractions contain distinct compounds or properties. The plural fraksiyonlar or fractions is common in Turkish scientific writing.