Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 3

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Understand the link between fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• Solve word problems using fractions.
• Convert between fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• Apply these concepts to real-life situations.

Lesson summary

Fractions are a part of our everyday lives here in Ghana, even when we don't realise it. When we share a loaf of bread, we are using fractions. When a farmer dedicates a portion of their land to planting maize and another to cassava, they are thinking in fractions. When a tailor cuts a piece of cloth, they use fractions. Being able to solve word problems involving fractions is a very important skill, not just for passing your B.E.C.E., but for solving real problems in your home, at the market, and in your future careers. This lesson will help us review and master how to tackle these story problems confidently.

Lesson notes

This lesson is a review, so we will focus on the *application* of fraction operations in word problems. The key is to translate the English words into a mathematical statement. A. Translating Words into Mathematical Operations

Before we can solve a problem, we must understand what it's asking us to do. Here are some keywords to look for:

| Operation | Keywords and Phrases | Example | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Addition (+) | Total, altogether, sum of, combined, increased by, more than | What is the total length of two pieces of cloth? | | Subtraction (−) | How much is left, remainder, difference, less than, decreased by, take away, how much more | If you use ⅖ of your money, what fraction is left? | | Multiplication (×) | of, product of, times, total of many equal parts | A recipe needs 1½ cups of flour. How much for half of the recipe? | | Division (÷) | Share equally, split, distribute, how many parts can be made, goes into | A 10-metre rope is cut into pieces of ½ metre each. How many pieces? | B. A Strategy for Solving Word Problems: The "R-P-S-C" Method

To solve any word problem effectively, we can follow a simple, four-step plan: Read & Understand (R): Read the problem carefully, more than once if needed. Identify what information is given and what you are being asked to find. Plan (P): Decide which operation(s) to use based on the keywords. Write down the mathematical expression. Solve (S): Perform the calculation. Remember the rules for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions. Check (C): Look at your answer. Does it make sense in the context of the problem? Write your final answer with the correct units (e.g., metres, kg, cedis).