Fraction words
Number line
A line where every point is a number. Fractions have their own places between the whole numbers.
To place 3/4, split the space from 0 to 1 into four equal spaces, then move three spaces from 0. Count the spaces, not the tick marks: four equal spaces need five tick marks.
The number line shows that a fraction is a single number with a size. It also makes comparisons visible at a glance: the number further right is greater.
See also: Benchmark fraction,Fraction
Try it in a slice
Counting Spaces, Not Ticks
How do you find (three fourths) on a number line?
Why we count equal spaces from 0, not tick marks, to find 3/4 on a number line. · About 3 minutes
One Number, Not Two
Where is (two fifths) on a number line?
Why 2/5 is one number between 0 and 1, not a 2 and a 5. · About 3 minutes
Compare Without Guessing
Which is bigger, (three eighths) or (four sevenths)?
How to compare fractions like 3/8 and 4/7 by asking which side of one half each one is on. · About 4 minutes