For Grade 3 Students (Age 9) - Let's learn about fractions together!
Have you ever shared a pizza or a cake? Fractions help us talk about those "parts" when we share things equally! In this lesson, you will learn:
A **fraction** is a special way to show parts of a whole thing. But remember, all the parts must be **equal** (the same size)!
Example 1: Half ($\frac{1}{2}$)
Imagine you have a delicious apple. If you cut it into **2 equal parts**, each part is called a **half**. We write this as $\frac{1}{2}$.
One out of two equal parts is shaded.
Example 2: One-Third ($\frac{1}{3}$)
If you divide a long sandwich into **3 equal parts**, each part is called a **third**. We write this as $\frac{1}{3}$.
One out of three equal parts is shaded.
Example 3: Three-Fourths ($\frac{3}{4}$)
If a pizza is cut into **4 equal slices**, and you eat **3** of them, you have eaten **three-fourths** of the pizza. We write this as $\frac{3}{4}$.
Three out of four equal parts are shaded.
Every fraction has two numbers, one on top and one on the bottom, with a line in between.
Let's look at $\frac{2}{3}$ (Two-Thirds) again:
2
---
3
The **2** on top is the **Numerator** (we have 2 parts).
The **3** on bottom is the **Denominator** (the whole was cut into 3 parts).
Sometimes you need to know if one fraction is bigger, smaller, or the same as another.
**Tip 1: When the bottom numbers (Denominators) are the SAME:**
It's easy! The fraction with the **bigger top number (Numerator)** is the **bigger** fraction.
Imagine two cakes, both cut into 5 equal slices. If you have 3 slices from one cake ($\frac{3}{5}$) and your friend has 2 slices from the other ($\frac{2}{5}$), you have more cake!
Example: Compare $\frac{2}{5}$ and $\frac{3}{5}$
Since 3 is bigger than 2, $\frac{3}{5}$ is bigger than $\frac{2}{5}$.
**Tip 2: When the top numbers (Numerators) are the SAME:**
This one is a little tricky! The fraction with the **smaller bottom number (Denominator)** is actually **bigger**!
Think about it: if you cut a pizza into only 2 big slices ($\frac{1}{2}$), each slice is much bigger than if you cut it into 4 smaller slices ($\frac{1}{4}$).
Example: Compare $\frac{1}{2}$ and $\frac{1}{4}$
Since 2 is smaller than 4, $\frac{1}{2}$ is bigger than $\frac{1}{4}$.
Look at the shaded parts of the shape. What fraction does it show? (Write like 1/2)
Look at the fractions. Choose the correct sign: > (greater than), < (less than), or = (equal to).