Fractions - Simplify Fractions - Worksheet

This worksheet from masterthecurriculum.co.uk is designed to teach children how to simplify fractions effectively. The National Curriculum objective covered by this lesson is to use common factors to simplify fractions and common multiples to express fractions in the same denomination. The resources provided for this lesson include differentiated worksheets and teaching slides. The key vocabulary terms for the lesson include common factors, common multiples, express fractions, simplify fractions, numerator, denominator, and highest common factor. Students are expected to apply their understanding of the highest common factor to simplify fractions, an extension of their knowledge of equivalent fractions from previous years. They are encouraged to use visual aids like fraction walls to assist in their understanding of the simplification process.

The worksheet poses several key questions to guide students through the simplification process, such as identifying common factors and the highest common factor (HCF) of the numerator and denominator. It also prompts students to consider whether a simplified fraction is always equivalent to the original fraction and what happens when the HCF is 1. The exercises on the worksheet are tiered to cater to different levels of ability, with some children simplifying fractions with fewer factors, while others work with fractions that have a greater number of factors or larger numbers. The worksheet also includes reasoning and problem-solving tasks where students continue to practice simplifying fractions and explore the relationships between numerators and denominators, as well as identifying patterns in simplification.