Year 2: Quarter, half and three-quarter turns
Part of the Year 2 position and direction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Quarter, half and three-quarter turns
A turn is when something goes round. It can go part of the way round, or all the way.
A quarter turn is a quarter of the way round. It makes one right angle.
A right angle is a square corner, like the corner of a book.
A half turn is 2 quarter turns, so it makes 2 right angles. A three-quarter turn makes 3.
Four quarter turns make a whole turn. It ends back where it started.
Key ideas
- A quarter turn makes one right angle.
- A half turn is two quarter turns, so it makes two right angles.
- A three-quarter turn is three quarter turns.
- A whole turn is four quarter turns, back to the start.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.2 quarter turns
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 2.2 right angles
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 2 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Follow the minute hand clockwise, one quarter at a time.
- Find where the minute hand starts. It points to 12.start: 12
- Follow it round the clock. Each quarter turn moves it on to the next number.12 → 3
- Name the turn. 1 quarter turn is a quarter turn.quarter turn
Check. Going 1 quarter turns from 12 reaches 3. ✓
Watch out. Count the quarters of the clock, not the numbers. From 12 to 3 is a quarter turn.
Method. Look at each corner of the square.
- Look at the corners. A square has 4 corners.4 corners
- Check each corner. Each corner of a square is a right angle.a right angle at each corner
- Count the right angles. There is one right angle at each of the 4 corners.4
Check. Four quarter turns make a whole turn, and a square has 4 right angles. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a square corner, like the corner of a book.
Watch out
Watch out: a half turn is not one quarter turn. A half turn is two quarter turns, so it makes 2 right angles.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use a paper plate with a strip of paper stuck to the middle as the arrow. Turn it a quarter turn, then a half turn. Ask: “How many right angles have we turned?”
Exercise 9E Quarter, half and three-quarter turns
Non-calculatorMethod. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.1 quarter turn
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 1.1 right angles
- Write the answer. 1
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 1 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.3 quarter turns
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 3.3 right angles
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 3 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.4 quarter turns
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 4.4 right angles
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 4 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Count the quarter turns along the orange arrow.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.2 quarter turns
- Name the turn. 2 quarter turns is a half turn.half turn
Check. Four quarter turns make a whole turn, so 2 quarter turns is less than a whole turn. ✓
Watch out. Two quarter turns make a half turn. Three make a three-quarter turn.
Method. Count the quarter turns along the orange arrow.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.3 quarter turns
- Name the turn. 3 quarter turns is a three-quarter turn.three-quarter turn
Check. Four quarter turns make a whole turn, so 3 quarter turns is less than a whole turn. ✓
Watch out. Two quarter turns make a half turn. Three make a three-quarter turn.
Method. Follow the minute hand clockwise, one quarter at a time.
- Find where the minute hand starts. It points to 12.start: 12
- Follow it round the clock. Each quarter turn moves it on to the next number.12 → 3 → 6
- Name the turn. 2 quarter turns is a half turn.half turn
Check. Going 2 quarter turns from 12 reaches 6. ✓
Watch out. Count the quarters of the clock, not the numbers. From 12 to 3 is a quarter turn.
Method. Follow the minute hand clockwise, one quarter at a time.
- Find where the minute hand starts. It points to 3.start: 3
- Follow it round the clock. Each quarter turn moves it on to the next number.3 → 6 → 9
- Name the turn. 2 quarter turns is a half turn.half turn
Check. Going 2 quarter turns from 3 reaches 9. ✓
Watch out. Count the quarters of the clock, not the numbers. From 12 to 3 is a quarter turn.
Method. Find the right angles in each turn, then add them together.
- Turn A: a half turn. A half turn makes 2 right angles.2 right angles
- Turn B: a quarter turn. A quarter turn makes 1 right angle.1 right angle
- Add them together. Two and one make three.2 + 1 = 3
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Count the quarter turns instead: a half turn is 2 quarter turns, plus 1 more, makes 3 right angles. ✓
Watch out. A half turn is two quarter turns, so it makes two right angles, not one.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.1 quarter turn
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 1.1 right angles
- Write the answer. 1
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 1 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.2 quarter turns
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 2.2 right angles
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 2 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. Each quarter turn is a quarter of the way round.3 quarter turns
- Count the right angles. Each quarter turn makes one right angle, so there are 3.3 right angles
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Four right angles make a whole turn, so 3 is less than four. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn makes one right angle. A right angle is the corner of a square.
Method. Count the quarter turns in the picture, then name the turn.
- Count the quarter turns. The arc shows 3 quarter turns.3 quarter turns
- Name the turn. 3 quarter turns is a three-quarter turn.three-quarter turn
- Decide. The claim says whole turn.No
Check. A whole turn is not the same as a three-quarter turn. ✓
Watch out. A quarter turn moves one quarter of the way round. Count the quarters, then name the turn.
Method. Each quarter turn makes one right angle.
- Count the quarter turns. The turn has 2 quarter turns.2 quarter turns
- Count the right angles. That makes 2 right angles.2 right angles
- Decide. The claim says 2.Yes
Check. Each quarter turn is one right angle, so the count is 2. ✓
Watch out. Count the right angles, one for each quarter turn.