Year 1 Halves and quarters: check-up and quiz

Method. One half is one of 2 equal parts. Check the parts and the shading.

1. Count the parts. One half needs 2 equal parts.
   4 parts
2. Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts are the same size.
   The parts are the same size.
3. Count the shaded parts. We need exactly one shaded part for one half.
   1 shaded
4. Decide.
   No. The shape has 4 equal parts, not 2, so the shaded part is not one half.

Check. Say it in words: the shaded part is not one half. ✓

Watch out. Parts must be the same size before you can call them halves or quarters.

Key words. A half is one of two equal parts.

Method. Share 14 stars into 2 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the stars into 2 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   14 stars into 2 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   7 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   7

Check. Add the groups back together: 7 + 7 = 14. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Method. Look at each picture and find the one with one quarter shaded.

1. Look at A. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   A: 2 parts, equal, 1 shaded
2. Look at B. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   B: 4 parts, equal, 1 shaded
3. Look at C. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   C: 4 parts, equal, 2 shaded
4. Find the picture that matches. We want the picture with one quarter shaded.
   Matches: B
5. Write the answer.
   B

Check. A and C do not match. ✓

Watch out. Count the equal parts first, then the shaded parts.

Key words. A quarter is one of four equal parts.

Method. Share 12 things into 4 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the things into 4 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   12 things into 4 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   3 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   3

Check. Add the groups back together: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Method. Look at each picture and find the one with 4 equal parts.

1. Look at A. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   A: 4 parts, equal, 0 shaded
2. Look at B. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   B: 3 parts, not equal, 0 shaded
3. Find the picture that matches. We want the picture with 4 equal parts.
   Matches: A
4. Write the answer.
   A

Check. B do not match. ✓

Watch out. Count the equal parts first, then the shaded parts.

Method. Count how many quarters fit into one half.

1. Start with one half. One half is shared into equal quarters.
   One half
2. Count the quarters that fit. Each quarter is one of the equal parts.
   2 quarters fit into one half
3. Write the answer.
   2

Check. Put them together: one quarter + one quarter = one half. ✓

Watch out. Check the size. More quarters make one half because each quarter is smaller.

Method. Find half of 12 and a quarter of 12, then compare them.

1. Find half of 12. Share 12 into two equal groups.
   6 in each group
2. Find a quarter of 12. Share 12 into four equal groups.
   3 in each group
3. Compare the two answers. The bigger share has more.
   6 is more than 3
4. Write the answer.
   Half of 12 is bigger.

Check. Half of 12 is 6 and a quarter of 12 is 3. ✓

Watch out. Half is the bigger share of the same amount.

Key words. A quarter is one of four equal parts.

Method. Share 20 cubes into 4 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the cubes into 4 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   20 cubes into 4 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   5 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   5

Check. Add the groups back together: 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Method. The smallest share has the most equal parts. A whole is the biggest.

1. Find the size of each share. A quarter is smallest. A whole is biggest.
   one whole, one half, one quarter
2. Put them in order, smallest first. Start with the smallest share.
   one quarter, one half, one whole
3. Write the answer.
   one quarter, one half, one whole

Check. Check: a quarter is smaller than a half, and a half is smaller than a whole. ✓

Watch out. The more equal parts a shape is cut into, the smaller each part is.

Method. Share 8 into two equal groups to find half of 8.

1. Share the 8 things into 2 equal groups. Every group must have the same number.
   4 + 4 = 8
2. Count how many are in one group. One group is one half.
   4 in one group
3. Compare with what Mei said. Mei said 2, but each group has 4.
   Mei said 2, but half is 4
4. Write the answer.
   No. Half of 8 is 4.

Check. Put the two groups back together: 4 + 4 = 8. ✓

Watch out. Count the things in one group. Do not count the number of groups.

Method. Equal parts are the same size. Compare the parts to decide.

1. Look at each part. Compare the parts side by side.
   2 parts
2. Compare the sizes. Equal parts are the same size.
   One or more parts is a different size.
3. Decide.
   No. The parts are not equal.

Check. Measure the parts with a ruler or a strip of paper. The same length means equal. ✓

Watch out. A line that looks like it is in the middle may not be. Check before you decide.

Method. Look at each picture and find the one with one half shaded.

1. Look at A. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   A: 4 parts, equal, 1 shaded
2. Look at B. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   B: 2 parts, equal, 1 shaded
3. Find the picture that matches. We want the picture with one half shaded.
   Matches: B
4. Write the answer.
   B

Check. A do not match. ✓

Watch out. Count the equal parts first, then the shaded parts.

Method. Look at each picture and find the one with one quarter shaded.

1. Look at A. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   A: 2 parts, equal, 1 shaded
2. Look at B. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   B: 4 parts, equal, 1 shaded
3. Find the picture that matches. We want the picture with one quarter shaded.
   Matches: B
4. Write the answer.
   B

Check. A do not match. ✓

Watch out. Count the equal parts first, then the shaded parts.

Key words. A half is one of two equal parts.

Method. Share 18 things into 2 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the things into 2 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   18 things into 2 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   9 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   9

Check. Add the groups back together: 9 + 9 = 18. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Key words. A quarter is one of four equal parts.

Method. Share 16 things into 4 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the things into 4 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   16 things into 4 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   4 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   4

Check. Add the groups back together: 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 16. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Key words. A half is one of two equal parts.

Method. Share 14 counters into 2 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the counters into 2 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   14 counters into 2 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   7 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   7

Check. Add the groups back together: 7 + 7 = 14. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Key words. A quarter is one of four equal parts.

Method. Share 12 pencils into 4 equal groups, so every group has the same number.

1. Share the pencils into 4 equal groups. Every group must have the same number, so give out one at a time.
   12 pencils into 4 groups
2. Count how many are in one group. All the groups are the same, so one group gives the answer.
   3 in each group
3. Write the answer.
   3

Check. Add the groups back together: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12. ✓

Watch out. Every group needs the same number. Do not give one group more than the others.

Method. Share 8 into four equal groups to find a quarter of 8.

1. Share the 8 things into 4 equal groups. Every group must have the same number.
   2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8
2. Count how many are in one group. One group is one quarter.
   2 in one group
3. Compare with what Ravi said. Ravi said 4, but each group has 2.
   Ravi said 4, but a quarter is 2
4. Write the answer.
   No. A quarter of 8 is 2.

Check. Put the four groups back together: 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 8. ✓

Watch out. Four equal groups are needed for a quarter, not two.

Method. Find half of 20 and a quarter of 20, then compare them.

1. Find half of 20. Share 20 into two equal groups.
   10 in each group
2. Find a quarter of 20. Share 20 into four equal groups.
   5 in each group
3. Compare the two answers. The bigger share has more.
   10 is more than 5
4. Write the answer.
   Half of 20 is more.

Check. Half of 20 is 10 and a quarter of 20 is 5. ✓

Watch out. Half is the bigger share of the same amount.

Method. Put two quarters together and see what they make.

1. Put the two quarters together. Each quarter is one of four equal parts.
   one quarter + one quarter
2. Compare with a whole. Two of the four parts make only half of the whole.
   = one half
3. Write the answer.
   No. Two quarters make one half.

Check. Four quarters make one whole, so two quarters are half of it. ✓

Watch out. Two quarters make one half. Four quarters make one whole.