--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man is like a fraction whose numerator…" description: "\"A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leo-tolstoy-55_denominator_a-man-is-like-a-fraction-whose-numerator_651547.png" --- # A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and… ![“A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leo-tolstoy-55_denominator_a-man-is-like-a-fraction-whose-numerator_651547.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leo-tolstoy-55_denominator_a-man-is-like-a-fraction-whose-numerator_651547.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/308/leo-tolstoy-55_denominator_a-man-is-like-a-fraction-whose-numerator_651547.png) > “A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction.” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑esteem determines how we value ourselves; over‑valuing oneself diminishes true worth. **In simple terms:** Think of yourself as a fraction; too much ego shrinks your value. Key Takeaway Keep humility to preserve self‑value. Themes self‑esteem humility identity perception Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - mental health - team dynamics Key Concepts psychology self‑concept ego Questions to Reflect On - Do you measure yourself by others’ views? - How does humility affect your influence? A Different Perspective If you overestimate yourself, others may distrust you. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Denominator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denominator/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“A quote from Tolstoy someone reminded of: "A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butrus-t-khuri-yakub/a-quote-from-tolstoy-someone-reminded-of-a-man-is-like-a-fraction/) Butrus T. Khuri-Yakub > [Now the denominator ... why don't they just call it the bottom number? The denominator ... that sounds like a Schwarzenegger movie doesn't it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-allen/now-the-denominator-why-don-t-they-just-call-it-the-bottom-number-the/) [Tim Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-allen/) > [One common denominator of super-affluent alpha men is the conviction, unchallenged every day, that the world revolves around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/one-common-denominator-of-super-affluent-alpha-men-is-the-conviction/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [“What we do with the product of genius is first of all ram it down to the lowest common denominator and then multiply it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/what-we-do-with-the-product-of-genius-is-first-of-all-ram-it-down-to/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [People tend to compartmentalize themselves into IT people, and movie star people, and scientists, but when we share our perspectives about nature, we find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-nadkarni/people-tend-to-compartmentalize-themselves-into-it-people-and-movie/) [Nalini Nadkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-nadkarni/) > [Food is a common denominator for all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/food-is-a-common-denominator-for-all-people/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [You are the common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/you-are-the-common-denominator/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [The common denominator is a love of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-bedingfield/the-common-denominator-is-a-love-of-music/) [Natasha Bedingfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-bedingfield/) > [I like to think that Junie B. looks at the world - and this isn't a negative comment on her - from the lowest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-park/i-like-to-think-that-junie-b-looks-at-the-world-and-this-isn-t-a/) [Barbara Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-park/) > [Any artist, the work you do, if it's a painting or if it's a performance, you hope it translates to a common denominator with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/any-artist-the-work-you-do-if-it-s-a-painting-or-if-it-s-a/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [We have to take risks in British television. It has to stop playing to the lowest common denominator and patronising people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/we-have-to-take-risks-in-british-television-it-has-to-stop-playing-to/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) > [I don't view the fans in the way that most performers do. As a mass of people who have paid money, I know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-townshend/i-don-t-view-the-fans-in-the-way-that-most-performers-do-as-a-mass-of/) [Pete Townshend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-townshend/) > [Between me and love, You're the common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/between-me-and-love-you-re-the-common-denominator/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [“Sometimes we need to look at everything going wrong in our lives and admit to ourselves, "I am the only common denominator here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/sometimes-we-need-to-look-at-everything-going-wrong-in-our-lives-and/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [If more people would try and reach up instead of going to the lowest common denominator, I think we'd be a lot better off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-badham/if-more-people-would-try-and-reach-up-instead-of-going-to-the-lowest/) [Mary Badham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-badham/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Denominator quotes > [If more people would try and reach up instead of going to the lowest common denominator, I think we'd be a lot better off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-badham/if-more-people-would-try-and-reach-up-instead-of-going-to-the-lowest/) [Mary Badham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-badham/) > [“Sometimes we need to look at everything going wrong in our lives and admit to ourselves, "I am the only common denominator here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/sometimes-we-need-to-look-at-everything-going-wrong-in-our-lives-and/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [Between me and love, You're the common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/between-me-and-love-you-re-the-common-denominator/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I don't view the fans in the way that most performers do. As a mass of people who have paid money, I know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-townshend/i-don-t-view-the-fans-in-the-way-that-most-performers-do-as-a-mass-of/) [Pete Townshend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-townshend/) > [We have to take risks in British television. It has to stop playing to the lowest common denominator and patronising people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dance/we-have-to-take-risks-in-british-television-it-has-to-stop-playing-to/) [Charles Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dance/) > [Any artist, the work you do, if it's a painting or if it's a performance, you hope it translates to a common denominator with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/any-artist-the-work-you-do-if-it-s-a-painting-or-if-it-s-a/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I like to think that Junie B. looks at the world - and this isn't a negative comment on her - from the lowest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-park/i-like-to-think-that-junie-b-looks-at-the-world-and-this-isn-t-a/) [Barbara Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-park/) > [The common denominator is a love of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-bedingfield/the-common-denominator-is-a-love-of-music/) [Natasha Bedingfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-bedingfield/) > [You are the common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/you-are-the-common-denominator/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Food is a common denominator for all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/food-is-a-common-denominator-for-all-people/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [People tend to compartmentalize themselves into IT people, and movie star people, and scientists, but when we share our perspectives about nature, we find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-nadkarni/people-tend-to-compartmentalize-themselves-into-it-people-and-movie/) [Nalini Nadkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-nadkarni/) > [“What we do with the product of genius is first of all ram it down to the lowest common denominator and then multiply it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/what-we-do-with-the-product-of-genius-is-first-of-all-ram-it-down-to/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [One common denominator of super-affluent alpha men is the conviction, unchallenged every day, that the world revolves around them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/one-common-denominator-of-super-affluent-alpha-men-is-the-conviction/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [All the leadership positions that I have had have one common denominator: none has required that I give up my science work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-leadership-positions-that-i-have-had-have-one-common/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like art with a sense of humor. I don't have a huge art education to understand everything. I don't think that means that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-like-art-with-a-sense-of-humor-i-don-t-have-a-huge-art-education-to/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) [Browse all 22 Denominator quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denominator/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. 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