Teaching your child equivalent fractions

Fractions are important for children to learn, they are taught on school syllabus, as well as useful for day-to-day life. the first step is teaching your child equivalent fractions.

Equivalent fractions are fractions with different numerators (the number at the top) and denominators (the number at the bottom), but they represent the same values.

• For example, 1/2 , or one half, is the same as 2/4, or two quarters.
• This is because 2/4 will reduce to 1/2, which is its simplest form.
• They both represent the same value, they are just written differently.

So, equivalent fractions are fractions which look different from each other but they are the exact same value.

• 2/3 is the same as 4/6.
• This is because the numerator 2 goes into 4 twice.
• The denominator 3 also goes into 6 twice.

So:

2 x 2 = 4

3 x 2 = 6

This would become 4/6.

• It’s the same as 1.
• Take 1 to be 100, or one whole.
• Therefore, 1 is the same as 3/3, which is a complete fraction.
• This is because the numerator and denominator are the same.

Teaching your child equivalent fractions at home is simple once you break it down.

Knowing that the fractions are the same value, but written differently is the most important rule.

Once this has been taught, then you can provide examples and explain why they are the same values.