Fractions | IT

Question 1

Arrange these fraction words in order of size from the smallest to the biggest in the empty box below:

One and a half, three quarters, one and a quarter, half, quarter, two and a half.

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Solution
Understand the Question
  • To arrange fraction words in increasing order of size, first convert each word phrase into its numerical fraction or mixed number.
  • Convert all fractions to improper fractions with a common denominator (44) so that their values can be directly compared by their numerators.
  • Finally, arrange the fractions from smallest to largest and translate them back into their original words.

Step 1 · Convert Fraction Words to Numerical Values

Write each fraction word as a numerical value:

  • Quarter =14= \dfrac{1}{4}
  • Half =12= \dfrac{1}{2}
  • Three quarters =34= \dfrac{3}{4}
  • One and a quarter =114= 1\dfrac{1}{4}
  • One and a half =112= 1\dfrac{1}{2}
  • Two and a half =212= 2\dfrac{1}{2}

The fractions are: 14,12,34,114,112,212\dfrac{1}{4}, \quad \dfrac{1}{2}, \quad \dfrac{3}{4}, \quad 1\dfrac{1}{4}, \quad 1\dfrac{1}{2}, \quad 2\dfrac{1}{2}

Step 2 · Convert Fractions to a Common Denominator

The denominators are 22 and 44. The least common denominator is 44.

Convert each fraction to have a denominator of 44:

Quarter=14\text{Quarter} = \dfrac{1}{4}

Half=12=1×22×2=24\begin{aligned} \text{Half} &= \dfrac{1}{2} = \dfrac{1 \times 2}{2 \times 2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{2}{4} \end{aligned}

Three quarters=34\text{Three quarters} = \dfrac{3}{4}

One and a quarter=114=44+14=54\begin{aligned} \text{One and a quarter} &= 1\dfrac{1}{4} = \dfrac{4}{4} + \dfrac{1}{4} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{5}{4} \end{aligned} One and a half=112=22+12=32=3×22×2=64\begin{aligned} \text{One and a half} &= 1\dfrac{1}{2} = \dfrac{2}{2} + \dfrac{1}{2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{3}{2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{3 \times 2}{2 \times 2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{6}{4} \end{aligned} Two and a half=212=42+12=52=5×22×2=104\begin{aligned} \text{Two and a half} &= 2\dfrac{1}{2} = \dfrac{4}{2} + \dfrac{1}{2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{5}{2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{5 \times 2}{2 \times 2} \\[0.6em] &= \dfrac{10}{4} \end{aligned}

The like fractions are: 14,24,34,54,64,104\dfrac{1}{4}, \quad \dfrac{2}{4}, \quad \dfrac{3}{4}, \quad \dfrac{5}{4}, \quad \dfrac{6}{4}, \quad \dfrac{10}{4}

Step 3 · Compare Numerators and Order from Smallest to Biggest

Comparing the numerators (1<2<3<5<6<101 < 2 < 3 < 5 < 6 < 10): 14<24<34<54<64<104\dfrac{1}{4} < \dfrac{2}{4} < \dfrac{3}{4} < \dfrac{5}{4} < \dfrac{6}{4} < \dfrac{10}{4}

Substituting back the original word names: Quarter<Half<Three quarters<One and a quarter<One and a half<Two and a half\text{Quarter} < \text{Half} < \text{Three quarters} < \text{One and a quarter} < \text{One and a half} < \text{Two and a half}

Answer

Quarter, half, three quarters, one and a quarter, one and a half, two and a half

Common Mistakes
  • Comparing Without Common Denominators: Comparing unit fractions by their denominator alone (e.g., thinking 14>12\dfrac{1}{4} > \dfrac{1}{2} because 4>24 > 2).
  • Mixed Number Conversion: Incorrectly converting mixed numbers like 1121\dfrac{1}{2} as 22\dfrac{2}{2} instead of 32\dfrac{3}{2} or forgetting that whole number parts (11 and 22) make mixed fractions larger than proper fractions.

More questions in IT

Q1

Arrange these fraction words in order of size from the smallest to the biggest in the empty box below:

One and a half, three quarters, one and a quarter, half, quarter, two and a half.

Q2

By dividing the whole chikki into 6 equal parts in different ways, we get 16\dfrac{1}{6} chikki pieces of different shapes. Are they of the same size?

Q3

Do it once more! Fill in the blank boxes.

Q4

Now, can you find the lengths of the various blue lines shown below? Fill in the boxes as well.

  1. Here, the fractional unit is dividing a length of 1 unit into three equal parts. Write the fraction that gives the length of the blue line in the box or in your notebook.
Q5

Here, a unit is divided into 5 equal parts. Write the fraction that gives the length of the blue lines in the respective boxes or in your notebook.

Q6

Now, a unit is divided into 8 equal parts. Write the appropriate fractions in your notebook.

Q7

Write down all the fractions you marked on the number line earlier.

Now, let us classify these in two groups:

Q8

Did you notice something common between the fractions that are greater than 1?

Q9

What do you observe?

  • Are the lengths 12\dfrac{1}{2} and 24\dfrac{2}{4} equal?
  • Are the lengths 24\dfrac{2}{4} and 48\dfrac{4}{8} equal?
Q10

Now, check whether 13\dfrac{1}{3} and 26\dfrac{2}{6} are equivalent fractions or not, using paper strips.

Q11

Answer the following questions after looking at the fraction wall:

Are the lengths 12\dfrac{1}{2} and 36\dfrac{3}{6} equal?

Q12

Answer the following questions after looking at the fraction wall:

Are 23\dfrac{2}{3} and 46\dfrac{4}{6} equivalent fractions? Why?

Q13

Answer the following questions after looking at the fraction wall:

How many pieces of length 16\dfrac{1}{6} will make a length of 12\dfrac{1}{2}?

Q14

Answer the following questions after looking at the fraction wall:

How many pieces of length 16\dfrac{1}{6} will make a length of 13\dfrac{1}{3}?

Q15

Context: Anil was in a group where 2 cakes were divided equally among 5 children.

Q. Now, if there are 10 children in my group, how many cakes will I need so that they get same amount of cake as Anil?

Q16

What if we put two such groups together? One group where 2 cakes are divided equally between 5 children, and another group again with 4 cakes and 10 children.

Q17

Find some more fractions equivalent to 12\dfrac{1}{2}. Write them in the boxes here:

Q18

Equally divide the rotis in the situations shown below and write down the share of each child. Are the shares in each of these cases the same? Why?

Q19

Suppose the number of children is kept the same, but the number of units that are being shared is increased? What can you say about each child's share now? Why? Discuss how your reasoning explains 15<25\dfrac{1}{5} < \dfrac{2}{5}, 37<47\dfrac{3}{7} < \dfrac{4}{7}, and 12<58\dfrac{1}{2} < \dfrac{5}{8}.

Q20

Now, decide in which of the two groups will each child get a larger share:

  1. Group 1: 3 glasses of sugarcane juice divided equally among 4 children. Group 2: 7 glasses of sugarcane juice divided equally among 10 children.
  2. Group 1: 4 glasses of sugarcane juice divided equally among 7 children. Group 2: 5 glasses of sugarcane juice divided equally among 7 children.

Which groups were easier to compare? Why?

Q21

Find equivalent fractions for the given pairs of fractions such that the fractional units are the same.

a. 72\dfrac{7}{2} and 35\dfrac{3}{5}

b. 83\dfrac{8}{3} and 56\dfrac{5}{6}

c. 34\dfrac{3}{4} and 35\dfrac{3}{5}

d. 67\dfrac{6}{7} and 85\dfrac{8}{5}

e. 94\dfrac{9}{4} and 52\dfrac{5}{2}

f. 110\dfrac{1}{10} and 29\dfrac{2}{9}

g. 83\dfrac{8}{3} and 114\dfrac{11}{4}

h. 136\dfrac{13}{6} and 19\dfrac{1}{9}

Q22

Context: Meena's father made some chikki. Meena ate 12\dfrac{1}{2} of it and her younger brother ate 14\dfrac{1}{4} of it.

Q. How much of the total chikki is remaining?

Q23

Try adding 47+67\dfrac{4}{7} + \dfrac{6}{7} using a number line. Do you get the same answer?

Q24

Try doing this same exercise using the number line.

Q25

Puzzle!

  1. Can you find three different fractional units that add up to 1?

    It turns out there is only one solution to this problem (up to changing the order of the 3 fractions)! Can you find it? Try to find it before reading further.

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