Fractions of amounts

For grown-ups: this lesson in words

Years 3 to 6 · Maths

Fractions of amounts: I can find a fraction of an amount by dividing, then multiplying.

1. Mei has 12 strawberries. She wants to find 1/4 of them.

   1/4: the bottom number, 4, says share them equally onto 4 plates.

   Count one plate: 1, 2, 3. Each plate has 3 strawberries.

   1/4 of 12 = 3

   Picture: 12 strawberries. They are shared equally onto four plates, 3 on each plate. 3 each.

2. Here is the same 12 as a bar. The whole bar is 12 strawberries.

   It is split into 4 equal parts. Each part is 3.

   12 ÷ 4 = 3

   To find 1/4, divide by 4. 1/4 of 12 = 3

   Picture: A bar model: the whole, Strawberries, 12, is split into 4 equal parts: 3, 3, 3 and 3.

3. Your turn: Kofi shares 9 apples equally onto 3 plates. What is 1/3 of 9?

   Picture: 9 apples. They are shared equally onto three plates.

   Type a number.

   Answer

   The answer: 3

   1/3 of 9 = 3. 9 ÷ 3 = 3, so each plate has 3 apples.

   Picture: 9 apples. They are shared equally onto three plates, 3 on each plate. 3 each.

Words to know

fraction of an amount:

Part of a group or a number, like 1/4 of 12.

denominator:

The bottom number of a fraction. It tells us how many equal parts to make.

numerator:

The top number of a fraction. It tells us how many of the parts to take.

whole:

The full amount, before we split it into parts.