Understanding fractions (age 9+)
Understand a fraction a/b with a > 1 as a sum of fractions 1/b (e.g. 3/5 = 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5)
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“If you ask your child to show 4/5 as a sum of smaller equal fractions, can they write it out as 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5?”
Full guide and materials
- Activity. Understand a fraction a/b with a > 1 as a sum of fractions 1/b (e.g. 3/5 = 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5)
What to notice. Express 5/8 as a sum of five copies of 1/8 • Show on a number line how 4/3 is built by iterating 1/3 four times • Explain why 7/4 = 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4
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If you ask your child to show 4/5 as a sum of smaller equal fractions, can they write it out as 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5?
Understand a fraction a/b with a > 1 as a sum of fractions 1/b (e.g. 3/5 = 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5)
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Check understanding
- Express 5/8 as a sum of five copies of 1/8
- Show on a number line how 4/3 is built by iterating 1/3 four times
- Explain why 7/4 = 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4 + 1/4
“If you ask your child to show 4/5 as a sum of smaller equal fractions, can they write it out as 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5 + 1/5?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Domain
- Fractions
- Age range
- Ages 9–10