Step-by-step Maths Level 4: Writing fractions from a picture or a description
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 4 fractions of wholes and equivalent fractions chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Writing fractions from a picture or a description
Write a fraction from words as well as pictures. "Five out of eight equal cubes" is written 5/8.
The whole must be split into equal parts before you write the fraction.
Key ideas
- Parts chosen on top; total equal parts on the bottom.
- Read words like out of as a fraction.
- Check the top is not more than the bottom.
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.
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. 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.
Watch out
Watch out. 3/8 and 8/3 are different. The top number is the parts we count; the bottom is the total number of equal parts.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask the child to say the fraction in words, such as “three eighths”, before writing it.
Exercise 7B Practice: writing fractions
Non-calculatorMethod. 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 this many equal parts.10 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.9 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.9/10
Check. Check: 9 of the 10 parts is 9/10.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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.
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 this many equal parts.3 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.1 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.1/3
Check. Check: 1 of the 3 parts is 1/3.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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 this many equal parts.10 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.5/10
Check. Check: 5 of the 10 parts is 5/10.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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 this many equal parts.8 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.3 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.3/8
Check. Check: 3 of the 8 parts is 3/8.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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.2 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.2/3
Check. Check: 2 + 1 = 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. 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 this many equal parts.3 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.1 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.1/3
Check. Check: 1 of the 3 parts is 1/3.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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 this many equal parts.3 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.1 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.1/3
Check. Check: 1 of the 3 parts is 1/3.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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.1 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.1/5
Check. Check: 1 + 4 = 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. 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 this many equal parts.5 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.2 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.2/5
Check. Check: 2 of the 5 parts is 2/5.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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 this many equal parts.8 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.6 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.6/8
Check. Check: 6 of the 8 parts is 6/8.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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 this many equal parts.2 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.1 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.1/2
Check. Check: 1 of the 2 parts is 1/2.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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.4 shaded parts
- Write the fraction. Shaded parts over the total number of parts.4/8
Check. Check: 4 + 4 = 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.5 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.1/5
Check. Check: 1 + 4 = 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. 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 this many equal parts.8 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.7 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.7/8
Check. Check: 7 of the 8 parts is 7/8.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.
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 this many equal parts.5 equal parts
- Find the number of parts chosen. These are the parts we count on the top.4 parts
- Write the fraction. Parts chosen over total parts.4/5
Check. Check: 4 of the 5 parts is 4/5.
Watch out. The top number is never bigger than the bottom number for a fraction of one whole.