This Term at Home
Year 5

1 bar shows why 2/4 and 1/2 are the same amount.

Fractions: what are equivalent fractions? They're fractions that look different but show the same amount of the same whole, like 1/2 and 2/4. Most Year 5 classes are working on fractions at the moment, and a bar model (a long rectangle split into equal parts) shows why.

One bar shows why 2/4 and 1/2 are the same amount. Text slide. Equivalent fractions are the same amount of the same whole. A bar split into 4 equal parts with 2 shaded: 2/4. The 2/4 bar above a bar split into 2 with 1 shaded: the shaded parts are the same size. Text slide. Both bars must be the same length. A half bar and a quarters bar with the same amount shaded: 1/2 times 2 on the top and bottom makes 2/4. A fraction wall: 4 bars the same length, one whole, then halves, quarters and eighths, each with half shaded and lined up. Text slide asking to send to the Year 5 class group.

The method in words

Try it with a pencil:

  1. Draw a bar, split it into 4 equal parts and shade 2: that's 2/4
  2. Draw the same bar again, split it into 2 and shade 1: that's 1/2
  3. The shaded parts are the same size

To find another equivalent fraction, multiply the numerator (top number) and the denominator (bottom number) by the same number. × 2 splits every part in 2: twice as many parts and twice as many shaded, so the amount stays the same and 1/2 = 2/4. × 3 gives 3/6 and × 4 gives 4/8.

Then draw a fraction wall: 4 bars 16 cm long with a ruler, one whole, then marked every 8, 4 and 2 cm. Shade half of each, and every shaded part ends at 8 cm.

Sources: Oak National Academy, Year 5 lessons "Use the relationship between the numerator and denominator in equivalent fractions to solve problems" and "Explain the relationship between numerators and denominators across equivalent fractions"; national curriculum for maths, Year 5. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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