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!

Cut the same bar into 2 parts that are not the same size. The bigger one is not a half.

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