Equivalent Fractions

Fractions can have different numerators and denominators and have the same value. These fractions name the same parts of a whole and are called equivalent fractions.

For example, the picture below shoes the equivalent fractions  $\frac{2}{3}$  and  $\frac{4}{6}$  .

Write two equivalent fractions that name the shaded parts of the circle.

Strategy: Look at the shaded parts of the circle in two ways.

Count the number of equal parts and the number of shaded parts. There are 4 equal parts. There are 2 shaded prts. So,  $\frac{2}{4}$  of the circle is shaded.

Look at the shaded parts another way. The two shaded parts are half of the circle. One  half of the circle is shaded. So  $\frac{1}{2}$   of the circle is shaded. 

Therefore  $\frac{1}{2}$  and  $\frac{2}{4}$  are equivalent fractions.