Year 2: Writing simple fractions of a number

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 1/2 means one half.
   1/2 of 6
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 6 into 2 equal groups. Each group has 3.
   6 ÷ 2 = 3
3. Take the groups we need. We need 1 of the 2 groups.
   3
4. Write the sentence.
   1/2 of 6 = 3

Check. Share 6 into 2 equal groups, then add 1 of them: 3. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 1/2 means one half.
   1/2 of 8
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 8 into 2 equal groups. Each group has 4.
   8 ÷ 2 = 4
3. Take the groups we need. We need 1 of the 2 groups.
   4
4. Write the sentence.
   1/2 of 8 = 4

Check. Share 8 into 2 equal groups, then add 1 of them: 4. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 1/4 means one quarter.
   1/4 of 8
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 8 into 4 equal groups. Each group has 2.
   8 ÷ 4 = 2
3. Take the groups we need. We need 1 of the 4 groups.
   2
4. Write the sentence.
   1/4 of 8 = 2

Check. Share 8 into 4 equal groups, then add 1 of them: 2. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 1/3 means one third.
   1/3 of 9
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 9 into 3 equal groups. Each group has 3.
   9 ÷ 3 = 3
3. Take the groups we need. We need 1 of the 3 groups.
   3
4. Write the sentence.
   1/3 of 9 = 3

Check. Share 9 into 3 equal groups, then add 1 of them: 3. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 1/4 means one quarter.
   1/4 of 12
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 12 into 4 equal groups. Each group has 3.
   12 ÷ 4 = 3
3. Take the groups we need. We need 1 of the 4 groups.
   3
4. Write the sentence.
   1/4 of 12 = 3

Check. Share 12 into 4 equal groups, then add 1 of them: 3. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 3/4 means three quarters.
   3/4 of 12
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 12 into 4 equal groups. Each group has 3.
   12 ÷ 4 = 3
3. Take the groups we need. We need 3 of the 4 groups.
   3 × 3 = 9
4. Write the sentence.
   3/4 of 12 = 9

Check. Share 12 into 4 equal groups, then add 3 of them: 9. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. The word of tells us which amount to share.

Method. Share the number into equal groups. Then take the groups the fraction asks for.

1. Read the fraction. 2/4 means two quarters.
   2/4 of 8
2. Share the number into equal groups. Share 8 into 4 equal groups. Each group has 2.
   8 ÷ 4 = 2
3. Take the groups we need. We need 2 of the 4 groups.
   2 × 2 = 4
4. Write the sentence.
   2/4 of 8 = 4

Check. Share 8 into 4 equal groups, then add 2 of them: 4. ✓

Watch out. The bottom number says how many equal groups to make. The top number says how many to take.

Key words. One quarter means 1 of the 4 equal parts.

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

1. Share the 8 buns into 4 equal plates. Every plate needs the same number.
   8 ÷ 4 = 2
2. Find what is in one plate. Each plate has 2 buns.
   2 in one plate
3. Take one plate. One plate is one quarter of the whole.
   2

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

Watch out. Make every plate the same size before you count. Then count the plates you need.

Key words. One third means 1 of the 3 equal parts.

Method. Share into 3 equal plates, then take the ones you need.

1. Share the 12 pencils into 3 equal plates. Every plate needs the same number.
   12 ÷ 3 = 4
2. Find what is in one plate. Each plate has 4 pencils.
   4 in one plate
3. Take one plate. One plate is one third of the whole.
   4

Check. Put the plates back together: 4 + 4 + 4 = 12. ✓

Watch out. Make every plate the same size before you count. Then count the plates you need.

Method. Share 10 into 2 equal groups. Check one group.

1. Share the 10 apples. Share 10 into 2 equal groups.
   10 ÷ 2 = 5
2. Check one group. Each group has 5, not 4.
   5 in one group
3. Decide. Tom did not share the number correctly.
   No. 1/2 of 10 is 5.

Check. Two groups of 5 make 10: 5 + 5 = 10. ✓

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

Method. One third is one of three equal plates. Find all three plates.

1. Look at one third. One third is one plate, and it has 4 stars.
   4 stars
2. Find all three thirds. The whole has three plates of 4.
   4 + 4 + 4 = 12
3. Write the missing number. 1/3 of 12 is 4, so the whole is 12.
   12

Check. Check: 1/3 of 12 = 4, because 12 ÷ 3 = 4. ✓

Watch out. The whole is three times the one-third plate.