1. The problem asks us to write an improper fraction representing the shaded portions of the five circles. 2. Each circle represents 1 whole unit. There are 5 circles in total. 3. The first four circles are completely shaded, so each contributes 1 whole shaded unit. 4. The fifth circle is half shaded, so it contributes $\frac{1}{2}$ of a whole unit. 5. To find the total shaded portion, add the whole shaded units and the half shaded unit: $$4 + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{8}{2} + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{9}{2}$$ 6. The improper fraction representing the shaded portions is $\frac{9}{2}$. 7. An improper fraction is a fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator, which is true here since 9 > 2. Final answer: $\frac{9}{2}$