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1/6
Week 07 · Fractions are numbers

Monday

Equal parts and unit fractions
// Unit fractions, a/b and the number line
⏱ about 15 min

Monday: Equal parts and unit fractions

Riley the Raccoon holds up a long paper strip and his lantern.

"Here is a puzzle," he says with a grin.

"Four friends want equal shares of this strip."

"How can we cut it so the shares are fair?"

Bennie the Bear folds the strip in half, then in half again.

"Four equal parts," says Bennie. "Each part is one fourth."

Riley winks. "So each friend gets 1/4 of the strip!"

Learn it: one equal part

Cut a whole into 4 equal parts. Each part is 1/4.

We say one fourth.

A bar cut into four equal parts, one shaded

The 4 on the bottom is the denominator. It counts the equal parts in the whole.

The 1 on top is the numerator. It counts the parts we take.

A fraction with 1 on top is a unit fraction.

A circle cut into three equal parts, one shaded

This circle has 3 equal parts. One part is 1/3.

NAME THE UNIT FRACTION
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
A bar cut into two equal parts, one shadedWhat fraction of the bar is shaded?
A bar cut into three equal parts, one shadedWhat fraction of the bar is shaded?
A bar cut into six equal parts, one shadedWhat fraction of the bar is shaded?
A bar cut into eight equal parts, one shadedWhat fraction of the bar is shaded?
A rectangle cut into four equal parts, one shadedWhat fraction of the rectangle is shaded?
FAIR SHARES
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Four friends share 1 paper strip equally. What fraction does each friend get?
Three friends share 1 ribbon equally. What fraction does each friend get?
Two friends share 1 pear equally. What fraction does each friend get?
Six friends share 1 long rope equally. What fraction does each friend get?
PARTS IN A WHOLE
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
How many parts of size 1/8 make one whole?
How many parts of size 1/3 make one whole?
A whole is cut into 6 equal parts. What is one part?
Which is a unit fraction?
SentenceTrue or false?
1/4 means 1 of 4 equal parts.?
A strip cut into 3 parts of different sizes shows thirds.?
Two halves make one whole.?
In 1/6, the denominator is 1.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEThirds must be 3 equal parts, and in 1/6 the denominator is 6.
Try it
Fold a strip of paper in half. Open it.
Fold it in half, then in half again. Open it.
Count the equal parts. Color one part.
Write the unit fraction on that part.
Draw a square. Split it into 4 equal parts and shade 1/4.

Great sharing! Tomorrow we put unit fractions together.