---
title: "Halves & Quarters of Shapes"
description: "Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares and describe them using the words halves, fourths, and quarters"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/halves-and-quarters-of-shapes-mt_xACS3rWWDp
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/halves-and-quarters-of-shapes-mt_xACS3rWWDp.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Halves & Quarters of Shapes

Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares and describe them using the words halves, fourths, and quarters

Subject: Mathematics · Area: Fractions · Ages 6 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/halves-and-quarters-of-shapes-mt_xACS3rWWDp

## Ready when they can

- Divide a circle into two equal halves
- Divide a rectangle into four equal quarters
- Describe the whole as 'two halves' or 'four quarters'

## Lesson: Halves & Quarters of Shapes

Leo and Mia mark out the square herb bed at the allotment. It is one whole bed. Cut it into two parts that match, and each part is a half. The two halves together make the whole bed again.

*(drawing: Mia cuts the bed straight down the middle. Mint fills the shaded part. The two parts match in size, so each one is a half.)*

The two parts have to match. Hold one part against the other and look. If one part is bigger, they are not halves. A half can also look different: down the middle, across the bed, or corner to corner. What counts is that the two parts are the same size.

*(drawing: Leo cuts his bed corner to corner. The two triangles match, so these are halves too.)*

**Example.** Then they cut each half again. Now the bed is four matching strips: mint, parsley, chives and thyme. One strip is called a quarter, or a fourth. Four quarters make the whole bed.

Four friends each take one strip when all four strips match. If two parts are long and two are tiny, there are still four parts, but they are not quarters.

**Recap.** Two matching parts are halves, four matching parts are quarters or fourths, and the parts always have to be the same size.

## Practice

12 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Finding quarters (age 5+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/finding-quarters-age-5-mt_g3W0mdADVu)
- [2-D shapes](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/2-d-shapes-mt_KJeEeTutJI)

## Opens up

- [Decomposing a shape into more equal shares](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/decomposing-a-shape-into-more-equal-shares-mt_hyvHv2BCwb)
- [Splitting shapes into equal parts (age 7+)](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/splitting-shapes-into-equal-parts-age-7-mt_Xp-rj46S2w)