Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Parts of a whole and equivalent fractions (2)

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson from Max Maths, students explore the concept of parts of a whole and equivalent fractions. The lesson uses real-life scenarios to help children understand fractions in a practical context. For instance, Jade has a pizza that is divided into five equal slices. She eats one slice and takes two slices home, leaving two slices for her friend Toby. Each slice represents one-fifth of the pizza. The lesson reinforces that when you combine all five slices (five-fifths), they make up the entire pizza, which is equivalent to one whole, or 5/5. This visual representation helps students grasp that a fraction where the numerator (the top number) and the denominator (the bottom number) are the same equals one whole.

Furthering their understanding, the lesson introduces another example where Samir has a circle divided into eight equal parts. He colours in some of these parts. Students are asked to determine the fraction of the circle Samir has coloured. They learn that each part of the circle is one-eighth (1/8) and that Samir has coloured five parts, which is five-eighths (5/8) of the circle. This example teaches students how to identify and write fractions based on the number of equal parts coloured in a shape. The lesson emphasises that the numerator of a fraction indicates how many parts are being considered, while the denominator shows the total number of equal parts the whole is divided into. Students can further practice these concepts on workbook pages 118 to 121.