Family II · Fractions are numbers with a size.
Fractions Have Size
Why 1/8 is smaller than 1/6, why 3/8 is less than 2/3, and how fractions live on the number line, including fractions greater than one.
- Slice 06
The Bigger Denominator Trap
Is (one sixth) bigger than (one eighth)?
Sounds like “Eight is more than six, so (one eighth) is bigger.”
The big idea When the whole stays the same, more equal pieces means smaller pieces.
- Slice 07
The Bigger Numerator Trap
Which is bigger, (three eighths) or (two thirds)?
Sounds like “(three eighths) has a 3 and (two thirds) only has a 2, so (three eighths) is bigger.”
The big idea A fraction’s size depends on both numbers together: the top counts the parts, and the bottom sets how big each part is.
- Slice 08
More Than One Whole
Can a fraction be bigger than 1?
Sounds like “(six fourths) can’t be real. There are only 4 fourths in a pizza.”
The big idea A fraction can be less than, equal to or more than one whole. Four fourths make one whole, so six fourths is one whole and two fourths more.
- Slice 09
Counting Spaces, Not Ticks
How do you find (three fourths) on a number line?
Sounds like “There are 5 marks between 0 and 1, so these must be fifths.”
The big idea The denominator tells how many equal spaces split 0 to 1. The numerator counts the spaces you hop from 0, not the tick marks.
- Slice 10
One Number, Not Two
Where is (two fifths) on a number line?
Sounds like “(two fifths) goes between the 2 and the 5 on the number line.”
The big idea A fraction is one number with one place on the number line. (two fifths) is two fifths of the way from 0 to 1.