Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Tenths (1)

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson on tenths, students are introduced to the concept of fractions and decimals through a practical example. Padma demonstrates the idea by folding a square piece of paper into ten equal sections and colouring in just one of these sections. This visual representation helps students to understand that the coloured part represents a fraction of the whole, specifically one out of ten parts, which is written as 1/10. The lesson then extends to connect fractions with their decimal equivalents, explaining that the fraction 1/10 can also be expressed as 0.1 in decimal form.

The lesson further explains the structure of the decimal number, highlighting the importance of the decimal point, which is the dot that separates the whole number part from the decimal part. Students learn that the number 0.1 is read aloud as 'zero point one', indicating that it is one-tenth of a whole. By linking the fraction of the coloured section of the paper to its decimal expression, students gain a clearer understanding of the relationship between fractions and decimals, providing a foundation for more complex mathematical concepts involving parts of a whole.