Max Maths, Year 6, Learn together, Fractions in their simplest form (2)

In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, students explore the concept of simplifying fractions using practical examples. The lesson presents a scenario with 8 cubes, asking students to determine what fraction of the cubes are green. Initially, students identify that 4 out of the 8 cubes are green, represented by the fraction four-eighths. The lesson then guides students through the process of simplifying fractions, illustrating how four-eighths can be reduced to its simplest form. By dividing both the numerator and the denominator by 4, the fraction is simplified to one-half, indicating that half of the cubes are green.

Another example is provided to reinforce the concept, this time with a total of 7 balls, of which 5 are footballs. Students are asked to express the number of footballs as a fraction of the total number of balls. They determine that the fraction is five-sevenths. These exercises not only help students understand how to express quantities as fractions but also teach them the important skill of reducing fractions to their simplest form, a fundamental aspect of working with fractions in mathematics.