Year 2: Two quarters and three quarters

Key words. The bottom number is how many equal parts there are. The top number is how many parts are shaded.

Method. Count the equal parts underneath. Count the shaded parts on top.

1. Count the equal parts. All the parts are the same size. There are 4.
   4 equal parts
2. Count the shaded parts. 2 of the 4 equal parts are shaded.
   2 shaded
3. Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. All the equal parts go underneath. That is two quarters.
   2/4

Check. Say it in words: two quarters. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.

Key words. The bottom number is how many equal parts there are. The top number is how many parts are shaded.

Method. Count the equal parts underneath. Count the shaded parts on top.

1. Count the equal parts. All the parts are the same size. There are 4.
   4 equal parts
2. Count the shaded parts. 3 of the 4 equal parts are shaded.
   3 shaded
3. Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. All the equal parts go underneath. That is three quarters.
   3/4

Check. Say it in words: three quarters. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.

Key words. The bottom number is how many equal parts there are. The top number is how many parts are shaded.

Method. Count the equal parts underneath. Count the shaded parts on top.

1. Count the equal parts. All the parts are the same size. There are 4.
   4 equal parts
2. Count the shaded parts. 1 of the 4 equal parts are shaded.
   1 shaded
3. Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. All the equal parts go underneath. That is one quarter.
   1/4

Check. Say it in words: one quarter. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.

Key words. The bottom number is how many equal parts there are. The top number is how many parts are shaded.

Method. Count the equal parts underneath. Count the shaded parts on top.

1. Count the equal parts. All the parts are the same size. There are 4.
   4 equal parts
2. Count the shaded parts. 3 of the 4 equal parts are shaded.
   3 shaded
3. Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. All the equal parts go underneath. That is three quarters.
   3/4

Check. Say it in words: three quarters. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.

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

1. Look at A. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   A: 4 equal parts, 2 shaded
2. Look at B. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   B: 4 equal parts, 3 shaded
3. Look at C. Count the equal parts and the shaded parts.
   C: 4 equal parts, 1 shaded
4. Find the picture that matches. We want the picture with three quarters 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. Two quarters means 2 of the 4 equal parts.

Method. Share into 4 equal pieces, then take the ones you need.

1. Share the 8 cm into 4 equal pieces. Every piece needs the same number.
   8 ÷ 4 = 2
2. Find what is in one piece. Each piece has 2 cm.
   2 in one piece
3. Take 2 pieces. two quarters means 2 of the 4 equal pieces.
   2 × 2 = 4
4. Write the answer.
   4

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

Watch out. Make every piece the same size before you count. Then count the pieces you need.

Key words. Three quarters means 3 of the 4 equal parts.

Method. Share into 4 equal pieces, then take the ones you need.

1. Share the 12 cm into 4 equal pieces. Every piece needs the same number.
   12 ÷ 4 = 3
2. Find what is in one piece. Each piece has 3 cm.
   3 in one piece
3. Take 3 pieces. three quarters means 3 of the 4 equal pieces.
   3 × 3 = 9
4. Write the answer.
   9

Check. Put the pieces back together: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12. ✓

Watch out. Make every piece the same size before you count. Then count the pieces you need.

Method. Count the slices. Find the slice that is left.

1. Count the equal slices. The toast is cut into 4 equal slices.
   4 slices
2. Find the slices eaten. Mo eats 3 slices, so 1 slice is left.
   4 − 3 = 1
3. Write the fraction. One slice of four equal slices is one quarter.
   1/4

Check. Three slices eaten and one left: 3 + 1 = 4. ✓

Watch out. The shaded slice is the one left, so it is one quarter.

Key words. The bottom number is how many equal parts there are. The top number is how many parts are shaded.

Method. Count the equal parts underneath. Count the shaded parts on top.

1. Count the equal parts. All the parts are the same size. There are 4.
   4 equal parts
2. Count the shaded parts. 2 of the 4 equal parts are shaded.
   2 shaded
3. Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. All the equal parts go underneath. That is two quarters.
   2/4

Check. Say it in words: two quarters. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.

Method. Compare the two bars. Count the shaded parts in each.

1. Count bar A. Two of the four equal parts are shaded.
   2/4
2. Count bar B. Three of the four equal parts are shaded.
   3/4
3. Compare. Three shaded parts is more than two shaded parts.
   3 > 2
4. Write the answer.
   3/4

Check. Three quarters has one more quarter than two quarters. ✓

Watch out. Count the shaded parts, not the bars.

Method. Compare the number of shaded parts.

1. Count the shaded parts in 2/4. Two of the four parts are shaded.
   2 shaded
2. Count the shaded parts in 3/4. Three of the four parts are shaded.
   3 shaded
3. Compare. Two and three are different numbers.
   2 ≠ 3
4. Decide.
   No. 3/4 has more shaded parts than 2/4.

Check. Three shaded parts is more than two shaded parts. ✓

Watch out. Shaded parts that are not the same number are not the same amount.