Step-by-step Maths Level 4: Fractions of a whole
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 4 fractions of wholes and equivalent fractions chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Fractions of a whole
A fraction shows some of the equal parts of a whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts. The top number is the number of parts we are looking at.
For example, 3/8 means 3 parts out of 8 equal parts.
Key ideas
- Bottom number: how many equal parts the whole has.
- Top number: how many of the parts are shaded.
- The parts must be equal to count as a fraction.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.8 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.3 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.3/8
Check. Check: 3 + 5 = 8, so 5 parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The circle is split into 4 equal slices.4 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. Three slices are shaded.3 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.3/4
Check. Check: 3 + 1 = 4, so 1 slice is not shaded.
Watch out. Each slice is one equal part.
Method. Write the parts chosen on top, and the total number of equal parts on the bottom.
- Find the number of equal parts in the whole. The whole is split into 8 equal parts.8 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.5 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.5/8
Check. Check: 5 of the 8 parts is 5/8.
Watch out. The top number is the number of parts chosen.
Watch out
Watch out. Count all the equal parts for the bottom number, not only the shaded parts. In 3/8, 3 is shaded and 8 is all the parts.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “How many equal parts are there in all? How many are shaded?” Let the child draw a bar and shade 3 of 8.
Exercise 7A Practice: fractions of a whole
Non-calculatorMethod. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.4 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.3 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.3/4
Check. Check: 3 + 1 = 4, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.4 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.3 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.3/4
Check. Check: 3 + 1 = 4, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.10 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.5 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.5/10
Check. Check: 5 + 5 = 10, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.2 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.1 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.1/2
Check. Check: 1 + 1 = 2, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.10 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.7 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.7/10
Check. Check: 7 + 3 = 10, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.10 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.9 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.9/10
Check. Check: 9 + 1 = 10, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.5 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.3 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.3/5
Check. Check: 3 + 2 = 5, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.5 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.3 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.3/5
Check. Check: 3 + 2 = 5, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.10 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.5 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.5/10
Check. Check: 5 + 5 = 10, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.8 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.7 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.7/8
Check. Check: 7 + 1 = 8, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.8 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.7 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.7/8
Check. Check: 7 + 1 = 8, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.3 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.1 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.1/3
Check. Check: 1 + 2 = 3, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.8 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.5 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.5/8
Check. Check: 5 + 3 = 8, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.4 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.1 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.1/4
Check. Check: 1 + 3 = 4, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.2 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.1 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.1/2
Check. Check: 1 + 1 = 2, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.
Method. A fraction is the number of shaded parts over the number of equal parts.
- Count the equal parts in the whole. The bottom number is the number of equal parts.4 equal parts
- Count the shaded parts. The top number is the number of shaded parts.2 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.2/4
Check. Check: 2 + 2 = 4, so the other parts are not shaded.
Watch out. The bottom number counts all the equal parts. The top number counts only the shaded parts.