Fraction

A fraction shows a part of a whole that is cut into equal parts.

 $\frac{2}{5}$  

Finding equivalent fractions

Rita, Tom and Ari, each have a similar Swiss roll.

Rita cut her Swiss into 2 equal parts and ate 1 part.

Tom cut his Swiss into 4 equal parts and ate 2 parts.

Ari cut his Swiss into 8 equal parts and ate 4 parts.

We can also use diagrams to show the parts that were eaten by the three children.

We can all see that the parts that were eaten by all three children are of the same length. So, the fractions  $\frac{1}{2},\ \frac{2}{4}$ and  $\frac{4}{8}$  are equal. We call them equivalent fractions.

Let us find some fractions that are equivalent to  $\frac{6}{12}$  which have smaller numerators and denominators.

There are two similar pizzas.

Different fractions of each pizza were eaten.

Rita has a piece of cloth. She used 2/10 of it to make Scarf A, 5/10 of it to make Scarf B and 3/10 of it to make Scarf C.

Tom ate 4/7 of a cherry pie. Ari ate 4/9 of a similar cherry pie. The pictures show the amount of pie Tom and Ari ate.

Terry had a loaf of bread. He gave 2/5 of it to John, 2/10 of it to William and 2/8 of it to Linda.

Which fraction is greater, 2/3 or 5/9?

We can compare these two fractions by finding a fraction equivalent to 2/3 that shares a common denominator with 5/9.

Nancy used three similar rolls of ribbon to tie some presents. After she used them, Roll A had 4/6 of the ribbon left, Roll B had 1/3 of the ribbon left and Roll C had 2/4 of the ribbon left. Which roll of ribbon had the greatest amount of ribbon left?

To compare the different amounts of ribbon left, we have to find fractions that are equivalent to each of the three fractions and which share a common denominator.

Min buys 3 bell peppers. 1 out of the 3 bell peppers is yellow.

We can say that 1/3 of the bell peppers is yellow.

Rita buys 9 bell peppers. She divides them into 3 equal groups. 1 out of 3 groups of the bell peppers is yellow.

Look at the buttons. Find the 1/5 of the buttons.

We can find 1/5 of the buttons by putting them into 5 equal groups.

10 divided by 5 is equal to 2.

so, 1/5 of 10 is 2.

There were 12 parrots. If 1/4 of the parrots were red, how many red parrots were there?

Tom ate 2/5 of a pineapple. The mass of the pineapple he had left was 450 g. What was the mass of the pineapple at first?

Tom ate 2/5 of a pineapple. The mass of the pineapple he had left was 450 g. What was the mass of the pineapple at first?