Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 4

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify and name different fractions.
• Divide a whole object into equal parts for a fraction.
• Solve simple word problems with fractions.
• Compare fractions with the same denominator.

Lesson summary

Fractions are a fundamental part of mathematics and are used every day in South Africa, from sharing a kota with friends to understanding measurements in a recipe. This week, we'll be focusing on understanding simple fractions and how they apply to everyday situations. Learning about fractions will help you share things fairly, measure ingredients accurately, and understand many other concepts in mathematics and beyond. Imagine sharing a slab of chocolate with your friends - that's fractions in action! Or when you are helping your mom bake a cake and need to measure 1/2 a cup of sugar.

Lesson notes

A fraction represents a part of a whole. It tells us how many parts we have out of the total number of equal parts that make up the whole.

Numerator: The top number of a fraction. It tells us how many parts we are considering.

Denominator: The bottom number of a fraction. It tells us the total number of equal parts the whole is divided into. For example, in the fraction 3/4: 3 is the numerator (we are considering 3 parts) 4 is the denominator (the whole is divided into 4 equal parts) This means we have 3 out of 4 equal parts.

Understanding Common Fractions: Half (1/2): The whole is divided into two equal parts. Think of cutting an apple exactly in half so you and a friend can share equally.

Quarter (1/4): The whole is divided into four equal parts. Imagine dividing a pizza into four equal slices.

Third (1/3): The whole is divided into three equal parts. Think about sharing a loaf of bread equally among three people.

Fifth (1/5): The whole is divided into five equal parts.

Sixth (1/6): The whole is divided into six equal parts.

Eighth (1/8): The whole is divided into eight equal parts.

Tenth (1/10): The whole is divided into ten equal parts.

Representing Fractions: We can represent fractions using diagrams, such as circles, rectangles, or even sets of objects. When drawing a diagram, it's essential that the parts are equal in size.

Example 1: Representing 1/4 Draw a square. Divide the square into four equal parts. Shade one of the parts. The shaded part represents 1/4 of the square.

Example 2: Representing 2/3 Draw a rectangle. Divide the rectangle into three equal parts. Shade two of the parts. The shaded part represents 2/3 of the rectangle.

Fractions in Everyday Contexts: Let's look at some examples of how fractions are used in everyday South African life: Sharing Food: If you and three friends (4 people in total) want to share a bag of sweets equally, each person gets 1/4 (one quarter) of the sweets.

Measuring Ingredients: When baking vetkoek, the recipe might call for 1/2 a cup of flour.

Time: A half hour (1/2 hour) is 30 minutes.

Money: A 50c coin is half (1/2) of R

1. Comparing Fractions with the Same Denominator: When fractions have the same denominator, it's easy to compare them. The fraction with the larger numerator is the larger fraction.

Example 3: Comparing 2/5 and 4/5 Both fractions have a denominator of

5. Since 4 is greater than 2, 4/5 is greater than 2/

5. We can write this as 4/5 > 2/

5. Imagine a pizza cut into 5 slices. Would you rather have 2 slices or 4 slices? Obviously, 4!

Example 4: Ordering fractions 1/8, 5/8, 3/8 All fractions have a denominator of

8. So we just compare the numerators: 1, 5, and

3. Ordering from smallest to largest gives 1/8, 3/8, 5/

8. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Shade 1/3 of the rectangle below. [Insert a rectangle divided into 3 equal parts here] Solution: Shade one of the three equal parts. This represents 1/

3. Commentary: The key here is to divide the rectangle into equal parts. If the parts aren't equal, it doesn't correctly represent the fraction.

Question 2: Sipho has a chocolate bar with 6 pieces. He eats 2 pieces. What fraction of the chocolate bar did Sipho eat?

Solution: The whole chocolate bar has 6 pieces (denominator). Sipho ate 2 pieces (numerator). Sipho ate 2/6 of the chocolate bar.

Commentary: This problem applies the concept of fractions to a real-life scenario. The total number of pieces represents the whole (denominator), and the number of pieces eaten represents the part (numerator).

Question 3: Which is bigger: 2/4 or 3/4? Explain your answer.

Solution: 3/4 is bigger than 2/

4. Both fractions have the same denominator (4). Since 3 is greater than 2, 3/4 is greater than 2/

4. Imagine a pizza cut into 4 slices. 3 slices is more than 2 slices.

Commentary: This question reinforces the concept of comparing fractions with the same denominator. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Draw a circle and divide it into 8 equal parts. Shade 3 of the parts. What fraction of the circle is shaded? Maria has 10 apples. She gives 4 apples to her friend. What fraction of the apples did Maria give away?

Which is smaller: 1/5 or 3/5? Order the following fractions from smallest to largest: 2/6, 5/6, 1/

6. A pizza is cut into 6 slices. John eats 1 slice, and Sarah eats 2 slices. What fraction of the pizza did they eat together? If you have 12 crayons and want to give half to your brother, how many crayons will he get? Represent 4/5 using a rectangle. Thandi has 10 sweets and gives 2 to Peter. What fraction of the sweets did Thandi give away? Which fraction is larger, 3/8 or 5/8? Explain your reasoning. Mom baked a cake and cut it into 10 slices. We ate 4 slices. What fraction of the cake did we eat?