Halves and Quarters

Stage 3 of 23 Strand 4 of 5 4 lessons

4 illustrated lessons, each teaching the why before the how.

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Equal Parts #

A fraction only works if the parts match.

A fraction only works when the parts are the same size

One bar. The dotted line cuts it into 2 parts that are exactly the same size.

Color in 1 of those 2 parts and you have made one half!

Parts that are not the same size are not halves. Each part is one half only when the cut is in the middle.

Count the parts, not the lines: 4 cuts make 5 parts, all the same size.

Now you

How many equal parts?

More pieces means each piece is smaller.

The more pieces you cut a whole into, the smaller each piece is

Cut it into 2 and each piece is called a half.

Cut it into 4 and each piece is called a quarter.

Cut it into 3 and each piece is called a third.

However many pieces you cut, one piece is written 1 over that number.

Now you

How is one piece written?

What each number in a fraction is counting.

The bottom number says how many pieces, the top says how many you took

This bar has 5 pieces.

You colored 3 out of 5. The numerator is 3.

The denominator is 5.

Now you

What fraction is shaded?

Part of a group, not just part of a shape.

A fraction can describe part of a group, not only part of a shape

Split the 8 into 4 equal groups, then scoop up 3 of those groups.

Each group holds 2 counters, so 3 groups hold 6. Three quarters of 8 is 6.

Now you

1/3 of 6

2/3 of 12