Understanding How Fractions are Represented

FRACTION ACTIVITY:

Contents

On a piece of card board draw a large circle and some smaller shapes such as circles, triangles, rectangles, squares. Allow the child to cut out the shapes and colour them. Use the smaller shapes as toppings for the large circle. Record how many shapes were used to make your pizza.

Understanding how fractions are represented

Fractions may be challenging, but it is important you develop a good grasp of fractions concepts as these lessons are related to numbers, decimals, percentages, measurement, and ratio and proportion.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is sharing.png

In order to get a better understanding of fractions, here are some activities you can do:

  1. Cut equal strips of paper or show by folding. Cut or fold the first strip in half, the second in thirds, the third in fourths, and so on.
  2. Draw a number line on a piece of paper. Draw the line 2 cm long. Show by number the points 1, ¼,½, ¾, 1, and so on.
  3. On a geoboard, show various shapes. Then show the following fractions: ¼,½, and ¾.
  4. Use grids on a paper to draw various shapes and show the following fractions: ¼,½, and ¾.
  5. Use pattern blocks to show the following fractions: ¼,½, and ¾.
  6. Draw various shapes, triangle, rhombus, square, rectangle, pentagon, etc. Show the fractions: ¼,½, ¾, etc. Verbally explain the the fractions.
  7. Compare and show equal fractions.

REPRESENTING FRACTIONS

The activities above would help you understand the representation of equal parts and the how it is represented.

The fraction below shows the numerator as 3 and the denominator as 4.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is three-quarter.jpg

Can you find the area model showing three-quarter?

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is linear-rep.png
Click here to view

Can you find the linear representation of three-quarter in the picture below.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is linear-representation.png
Click here to view

FRACTIONS USING SET MODELS

Fraction name part of a set. Below shows 10 food items. 7 carrots and 3 cluster of grapes.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is sets1.png

Thus: 7 out of 10 represents carrots. 3 out of 10 represents grapes.

EQUIVALENT FRACTIONS

A fraction is a number that names a part of a whole or group.

There are fraction with different numbers that represent the same part of a whole. Their numerator and denominator are different, but their fractional values are the same.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is equivalent-fractions.png

Thus, one-half is the same as two-quarters, or three-sixths, and even four-eights.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is images-1-1.png

Example 1:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is equivalent-fractions-ex.png

The equivalent fractions for two-thirds are:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is equivalent-fractions-112.png

Example 2: Equivalent fractions for one-half.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is images-2.png

REDUCING FRACTIONS

Just as you multiply to get equivalent fractions. You can also divide to get equivalent fractions.

WORKSHEETS


UNDERSTANDING FRACTIONS – HOW FRACTIONS ARE REPRESENTED

FRACTION ACTIVITY:

On a piece of card board draw a large circle and some smaller shapes such as circles, triangles, rectangles, squares. Allow the child to cut out the shapes and colour them. Use the smaller shapes as toppings for the large circle. Record how many shapes were used to make your pizza.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pizza0384.png

Fractions may be challenging, but it is important you develop a good grasp of fractions concepts as these lessons are related to numbers, decimals, percentages, measurement, and ratio and proportion.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is sharing.png

In order to get a better understanding of fractions, here are some activities you can do:

  1. Cut equal strips of paper or show by folding. Cut or fold the first strip in half, the second in thirds, the third in fourths, and so on.
  2. Draw a number line on a piece of paper. Draw the line 2 cm long. Show by number the points 1, ¼,½, ¾, 1, and so on.
  3. On a geoboard, show various shapes. Then show the following fractions: ¼,½, and ¾.
  4. Use grids on a paper to draw various shapes and show the following fractions: ¼,½, and ¾.
  5. Use pattern blocks to show the following fractions: ¼,½, and ¾.
  6. Draw various shapes, triangle, rhombus, square, rectangle, pentagon, etc. Show the fractions: ¼,½, ¾, etc. Verbally explain the the fractions.
  7. Compare and show equal fractions.

REPRESENTING FRACTIONS

The activities above would help you understand the representation of equal parts and the how it is represented.

The fraction below shows the numerator as 3 and the denominator as 4.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is three-quarter.jpg

Can you find the area model showing three-quarter?

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is linear-rep.png
Click here for link to view.

Can you find the linear representation of three-quarter in the picture below.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is linear-representation.png
Click here for link to view.

FRACTIONS USING SET MODELS

Fraction name part of a set. Below shows 10 food items. 7 carrots and 3 cluster of grapes.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is sets1.png

Thus: 7 out of 10 represents carrots. 3 out of 10 represents grapes.

PAGE BREAK

EQUIVALENT FRACTIONS

A fraction is a number that names a part of a whole or group.

There are fraction with different numbers that represent the same part of a whole. Their numerator and denominator are different, but their fractional values are the same.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is equivalent-fractions.png

Thus, one-half is the same as two-quarters, or three-sixths, and even four-eights.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is images-1-1.png

Example 1:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is equivalent-fractions-ex.png

The equivalent fractions for two-thirds are:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is equivalent-fractions-112.png

Example 2: Equivalent fractions for one-half.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is images-2.png

REDUCING FRACTIONS

Just as you multiply to get equivalent fractions. You can also divide to get equivalent fractions.

Topics within fractions:

  1. Proper Fractions, Improper Fractions and Mixed Fractions
  2. Comparing Practions
  3. Computing Fractions
  4. Fraction – Decimal to percentages