Module 3 Calculating
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Can I find a unit fraction of a shape, number or quantity by splitting it into the correct number of equal parts?

Example review questions

  • Can you shade 1/3 of this shape?
    A shape divided into six equal sections.
  • Can you explain how you know that you have shaded one third of the shape?
  • What calculation would you do to find 1/5 of 20?
  • How could you find one quarter of a piece of string?
  • Which is longer, 1/2 of 50 cm or 1/3 of 90 cm? How do you know?
  • How many minutes are there in one quarter of an hour? What calculation would you use to work this out?
  • 18 tomatoes are shared equally onto six plates. What fraction of the tomatoes is on each plate? How many tomatoes is this?

Teaching guidance

This teaching guidance document suggests some of the key vocabulary, models, images and practical equipment that children should experience and be able to use. It also includes some teaching tips to provide a few starting points for ways of supporting children with this area of mathematics.

DOC file Can I find a unit fraction of a shape, number or quantity by splitting it into the correct number of equal parts? - teaching guidance | 98KB new window

Consolidation and practice

These resources are to support children in guided or independent work. Roll over the highlighted resource for a description.

PDF file How to use area ITP | 156KB new window

SWF file Area ITP | 41KB new window

XLS file Doubling and halving | 162KB new window

DOC file Doubling and halving guide | 169KB new window

XLS file Fractions of amounts | 114KB new window

DOC file Finding fractions of amounts teaching prompts | 34KB new window

PDF file Springboard 4, Unit 7 Fractions | 235KB new window

Area

itp_area.png

This interactive teaching program (ITP) is an ICT-based tool to support the exploration of number, shape and space and problem solving. Area ITP allows the child or teacher to place counters or colour in whole or part cells on a grid, pinboard or blank screen, or to define a shape, using an elastic band.

Opportunities to use and apply

Possible contexts include:

  • rehearsing division facts, e.g. What is 1/4 of 32?
    What is 1/5 of 35?
  • halving and doubling numbers, e.g. Use halving to find
    72 ÷ 4.
  • word problems, e.g. There are 24 stickers on a roll. 1/4 of them are red. 1/3 are blue. The rest are yellow. How many stickers are yellow?
  • puzzles and problems, e.g. In how many different ways can you shade half of this square?
    A square split into four equal parts.
  • measures, e.g. How many centimetres are there in 1/4 metre? How do you know?
  • finding non-unit fractions, e.g. Find 1/4 of 80. Use your answer to find 3/4 of 80. How did you do this?

Confirming learning

Use probing questions and prompts such as:

  • There are 20 chocolates in a box. Would you rather have 1/4 or 1/5 of the chocolates? Explain your answer.
  • What is 1/10 of: 30 litres, 200 g, 1 metre, £1?
  • What fraction of £1 is 50p? What fraction of £1 is 25p? How do you know?
  • Shade more squares so that exactly 1/5 of the shape is shaded.
    A rectangle divided into 15 equal parts with one part shaded in.
  • This jar holds 300 g of jam when it is full.
    A jam jar containing 200 grammes of jam.
    Estimate how much jam is in it now.
  • 30 ÷ 6 = 5 Use this division fact to complete:
    1/ Empty box of 30 = 5