Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Comparing and ordering fractions (1)

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson from Max Maths, students are introduced to the concept of comparing and ordering fractions. The learning activity involves Padma, who has creatively used paper strips to demonstrate fractions visually. She folds four strips of paper into equal parts to represent different fractions, including one whole, halves (1/2), quarters (1/4), and sixths (1/6). Through her exploration, Padma makes several discoveries about the size of these fractions in relation to one another.

Padma observes that a half (1/2) is greater than a quarter (1/4), as demonstrated by the comparison 1/2 > 1/4. She also notes that a quarter (1/4) is greater than a sixth (1/6), shown by 1/4 > 1/6. Additionally, she realises that two quarters (2/4) is equivalent to one half (1/2), leading to the equation 2/4 = 1/2. A key learning point highlighted is that when comparing fractions with the number 1 as the numerator, the size of the denominator determines the size of the fraction; the larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction. This hands-on approach helps young learners to grasp the fundamental principles of comparing and ordering fractions by visualising and manipulating the parts.