Unit fractions: modeling word problems
Key notes :
- A fraction represents a part of a whole.
- The bottom of a fraction is the number of equal parts in the whole. It is called the denominator.
- The top of a fraction is the number of those equal parts you are talking about. It is called the numerator.
A fraction model represents a part of a whole.
Learn with an example
Maya has baked a giant chocolate chip biscuit. She knows she should not eat the whole thing at once. So, she cuts the biscuit into 2 equal pieces.
Which fraction model represents one piece of the biscuit?
The biscuit is the whole.
Maya cuts the biscuit into 2 equal pieces. The fraction model should have 2 equal parts.
Colour 1 part to show one piece of the biscuit.
This fraction model shows 1/2. It represents one piece of the biscuit.
Bella is making a round rug for the floor in her bedroom. Bella uses 2 equal-sized pieces of cloth to make her rug.
Which fraction model represents one piece of the rug?
The rug is the whole.
Bella makes the rug out of 2 equal-sized pieces of cloth. The fraction model should have 2 equal parts.
Colour 1 part to show one piece of the rug.
This fraction model shows 1/2. It represents one piece of the rug.
Jude collects interesting rocks that he finds while hiking in the mountains. For show-and-tell today, Jude is bringing his collection of 3 rocks to school.
Which fraction model represents one rock of the collection?
The collection is the whole.
Jude’s collection has 3 rocks. The fraction model should have 3 equal parts.
Colour 1 part to show one rock of the collection.
This fraction model shows1/3. It represents one rock of the collection.
Let’s practice!
