Fractions
Fractions practice in four topics, from reading 3/8 of a cake to 1/3 + 3/4 and 3/4 ÷ 2/5: reading, equivalent fractions, adding, multiplying and dividing.
- Reading fractionsReading fractions practice, from 3/8 of a cake to 9/4 = 2 1/4: fraction pies first, then several slices, then more than a whole and taking out the wholes.
- Equivalent fractionsEquivalent fractions practice, from 2/6 = 1/3 to 10/15 = 2/3: first seeing the same amount, then matching the numerator or denominator, then simplifying.
- Adding fractionsAdding fractions practice, from 5/11 + 4/11 to 1/3 + 3/4 = 4/12 + 9/12: the same denominator first, then different ones, then finishing off the answer.
- Multiplying and dividing fractionsPractise multiplying and dividing fractions, from 2/9 × 4 to 3/4 ÷ 2/5: first by a whole number, then by a fraction, each step once the last one sticks.
Also in this topic
How it fits together
The arrows point to what can be done next. Whatever sits inside a box belongs to it.
first this, then that belongs to
Why it matters
For many children, fractions are the point where maths suddenly feels abstract. A number above a line, a number below it, and suddenly 1/3 is bigger than 1/4, even though 3 is smaller than 4. A child who gets stuck here will feel it later with percentages, ratio and decimals.
That is why the exercises don't start with the notation but with something you can see: cakes cut into slices. Only when a child knows what a fraction stands for does working with fractions become more than a trick learned by heart.
How to approach it
Follow the order of the topics. First reading: which fraction can you see? Then equivalent fractions, because recognising 2/4 and 1/2 as the same is the key to everything that follows. Adding with different denominators only works once that part is secure.
Talk about it at home using everyday things: a pizza cut into eighths, a chocolate bar of twelve squares. Don't just ask for the answer, ask why as well: why is an eighth smaller than a quarter? A child who can explain it has really understood it.