Parts and Wholes

We opened a brand new box of fraction equipment today that had 30 individual plastic ziplock bags with fractions for us each to play with. It felt like we were just playing a game when we matched up the fractions together. We could see that as the denominator got bigger the fraction got smaller. We remember that the denominator is the bottom half of a fraction because it starts with the letter 'd' that reminds us that the denominator is 'down'. The top half of a fraction is called the numerator.

How do you remember what the fraction parts are called? Do you have a different way of remembering what the top half and bottom half of a fraction are called?

Year 3 looked at equivalent fractions. Here is some information from: http://www.aaamath.com/fra42ax2.htm that tells us a little about equivalent fractions.

Identifying Equivalent Fractions

Equivalent fractions are fractions that have the same value or represent the same part of an object. If a pie is cut into two pieces, each piece is also one-half of the pie. If a pie is cut into 4 pieces, then two pieces represent the same amount of pie that 1/2 did. We say that 1/2 is equivalent to 2/4.

Fractions are determined to be equivalent by multiplying the numerator and denominator of one fraction by the same number. This number should be such that the numerators will be equal after the multiplication. For example if we compare 1/2 and 2/4, we would multiply 1/2 by 2/2 which would result in 2/4 so they are equivalent.

To compare 1/2 and 3/7 we would multiply 1/2 by 3/3 to produce 3/6. Since 3/6 is not the same as 3/7, the fractions are not equivalent.

• Fractions equivalent to 1/2 are 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 6/12 ...
• Fractions equivalent to 1/3 are 2/6, 3/9, 4/12, 5/15, ...
• Fractions equivalent to 1/4 are 2/8, 3/12, 4/16, 5/20, ...
• Fractions equivalent to 1/5 are 2/10, 3/15, 4/20, 5/25, ...
• Fractions equivalent to 2/5 are 4/10, 6/15, 8/20, 10/25, ...

In year 4 we found out what decimal fractions are and how they relate to decimals and fractions. School A to Z is a really great resource to help you at home to. 

http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/eppcontent/glossary/app/resource/factsheet/4005.pdf

Here we are working really hard with our fractions and decimal fractions!