Step-by-step Maths Level 3: Halves of shapes and amounts
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 3 halves and quarters chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Halves of shapes and amounts
A half is one of two equal parts. The shape must be split into two parts that are the same size.
To find a half of a number, share it into two equal groups and take one group.
Key ideas
- A half is one of two equal parts.
- Equal parts must be the same size.
- To find a half, divide by 2.
Method. Count the equal parts for the bottom number, and the shaded parts for the top number.
- Count the equal parts. The shape is split into 2 equal parts.2 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. 1 of the 2 parts are shaded.1 shaded
- Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. The number of equal parts goes underneath.1/2
Check. Check: 1 shaded parts out of 2 equal parts.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts, shaded or not.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. Divide the number into equal parts, then take the number of parts the fraction says.
- Split 12 into 2 equal groups. Each group is one part of the whole.12 ÷ 2 = 6
- Take 1 of the groups. 1/2 means 1 of the 2 equal parts.1 × 6 = 6
- Write the answer. This is the amount for the fraction.6
Check. Check: 6 is 1 of the 2 equal groups of 6.
Watch out. The bottom number tells you how many equal groups to split into. The top number tells you how many to take.
Watch out
Watch out. A half needs two equal parts. Parts of different sizes are not halves.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Fold a piece of paper in half and check both sides match. Share sweets between two people and ask: “Is it fair?”
Exercise 8A Practice: halves
Non-calculatorMethod. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. Count the equal parts for the bottom number, and the shaded parts for the top number.
- Count the equal parts. The shape is split into 2 equal parts.2 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. 1 of the 2 parts are shaded.1 shaded
- Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. The number of equal parts goes underneath.1/2
Check. Check: 1 shaded parts out of 2 equal parts.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts, shaded or not.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. Count the equal parts for the bottom number, and the shaded parts for the top number.
- Count the equal parts. The shape is split into 2 equal parts.2 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. 1 of the 2 parts are shaded.1 shaded
- Write the fraction. The shaded parts go on top. The number of equal parts goes underneath.1/2
Check. Check: 1 shaded parts out of 2 equal parts.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts, shaded or not.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are equal
- Write the answer. There are 2 parts and they are all the same size.yes
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are not equal
- Write the answer. The parts are not all the same size, so it is not split into equal parts.no
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.
Method. A shape is split into halves only when there are 2 equal parts.
- Count the parts. We need 2 equal parts to be halves.2 parts
- Check the parts are the same size. Equal parts must be the same size.the parts are equal
- Write the answer. There are 2 parts and they are all the same size.yes
Check. Check the size of each part by eye: all must match.
Watch out. Equal parts are the same size. Count the parts and check each one.