Fractions as parts of shapes
Partition shapes into parts with equal areas and express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole
What a learner can do afterwards
- Partition a rectangle into 6 equal-area parts and label each 1/6
- Show two different ways to partition a square into 4 equal parts
- Given a pre-partitioned shape, write the unit fraction for one part
1 · Read
You already know how to split a shape into equal parts. Now you will give each part a name using a fraction. When every part has the same area, one single part is called a unit fraction of the whole shape.
Mia cuts a square into 4 equal-area parts two different ways. First she cuts it into 4 equal columns, side by side. Then she cuts the same size square into 4 equal triangles that meet in the middle. Both squares end up with 4 equal parts, so one part is still called 1/4 in each case, even though the pieces look different.
If you are given a shape that is already cut into parts, count how many equal parts there are in all. That total number becomes the bottom of the fraction, and 1 becomes the top for a single part.
Count the equal parts in a shape, and one part out of that total is its unit fraction.
More to read
4: Fractions
A fraction of a shape starts with cutting the whole into equal parts. Six equal parts make sixths, four equal parts make quarters.
One part is a unit fraction: 1/6 of the rectangle or 1/4 of the square. The bottom number counts the parts, the top counts 1.
4.1: Visualize Fractions (Part 1)
Equal area is what matters, not matching looks. A square split into 4 triangles holds 4 quarters, just like a square split into 4 small squares.
Two different cuts can show the same fraction.
4.2: Visualize Fractions (Part 2)
Reading a ready split shape means counting first. Count all equal parts for the bottom number.
A circle in 8 equal parts with 1 shaded shows 1/8. The shaded count goes on top, the total underneath.
Equal Shares
Sharing fairly is fractions in real life. Cut a bar into 6 for 6 friends and each friend gets 1/6.
Six shares of 1/6 rebuild the whole bar.
Explore more
2 · Watch
به انگلیسیTake it off screen
Where it sits
This opens up
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
18 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.