Understanding Fractions
What is a fraction?
A fraction represents a part of a whole, composed of a numerator (top number) and a denominator (bottom number).
Which is greater: 1/3 or 1/4?
1/3 is greater than 1/4.
What are the symbols used to compare fractions (less than, equal to, greater than)?
What are <, =, and >?
What does the numerator in a fraction represent?
The numerator represents how many parts we have.
Compare 2/5 and 3/7. Which is greater?
2/5 is greater than 3/7.
Which of these is a strategy for comparing fractions with different denominators? (Choose from: finding a common denominator, doubling the numerator, using a benchmark fraction like 1/2.)
What is finding a common denominator?
What does the denominator in a fraction signify?
The denominator signifies how many equal parts the whole is divided into.
True or False: 3/8 is less than 1/2.
True
Why is it important to recognize that fraction comparisons are valid only when referring to the same whole?
What is because the whole is divided into different numbers of parts when the denominator is different?
Give an example of a fraction.
An example of a fraction 3/4 which means 3 parts out of 4 equal parts.
Compare 5/6 and 4/5. Which is greater and why?
5/6 is greater because it represents 5 parts of 6, which is more than 4 parts of 5.
Compare 1/3 and 2/6. Which symbol should be used to compare them?
What is = (or, "equal to")?
Can you represent 1/2 using a visual model?
Yes, a visual model could be a circle divided into 2 equal parts, with 1 part shaded to show 1/2.
How do you compare 3/10 and 2/5? Explain your reasoning.
To compare, convert 2/5 to a fraction with a denominator of 10:
2/5= 4/10
Explain how to use a benchmark fraction like 1/2 to compare fractions like 3/4 and 2/5.
What is comparing 3/4 (greater than 1/2) and 2/5 (less than 1/2), so 3/4 is greater than 2/5?