Fractions - Vocabulary

In the realm of mathematics, particularly for Year 4 students, fractions are a fundamental concept representing equal parts of a whole. A fraction is composed of a numerator and a denominator; the numerator, positioned at the top, indicates the number of parts being considered, while the denominator, found at the bottom, tells us into how many equal parts the whole is divided. For example, in the fraction 1/2, the numerator is 1, showing that we have one part out of the two parts that make up the whole.

Different types of fractions are introduced to students to broaden their understanding. Equivalent fractions, although they may look different, represent the same value, such as 1/2 and 2/4. A unit fraction has a numerator of one, signifying a single part of the whole, like 1/4, whereas a non-unit fraction has a numerator greater than one, such as 3/8. Proper fractions have numerators smaller than denominators, and improper fractions have numerators that are greater than or equal to denominators. Mixed fractions combine a whole number with a fraction, such as 1 3/5. Additionally, students learn specific terms like halves, quarters, and eighths, which correspond to a whole divided into 2, 4, and 8 equal parts, respectively. The concept of a fraction wall is used to visually represent these parts, and students also explore number sequences and quantities in the context of fractions.