3rd grade · Math · Unit 4 of 14
Fractions
Parts of a whole
What your child practices
Naming fractions of a shape, a set and a number line, knowing what the top and bottom numbers mean, and comparing fractions by the size of their parts.
Alaska content standards learning standard: 3.NF.1; 3.NF.2; 3.NF.3 · unit fractions, fractions on a number line, and comparing fractions
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- The bottom number says how many equal parts make a whole.
- The top number says how many parts we have.
- With the same bottom number, the bigger top number is more.
Example: A pie has 4 equal slices. Amir eats 1. What fraction did he eat? The whole is 4 equal parts. He ate 1 part, so 1/4. Answer: 1/4
Fractions in Alaska
In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 4 of 14 in 3rd grade Math, after Division and before Patterns & Equations.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What fraction is NOT shaded?
- 5/6
- 5/7
- 5/8
- 1/6
5/6
Hint: There are 6 equal parts and 1 is shaded, so 5 are not shaded: 5/6.
Question 2
Which is more: 1/4 or 3/4?
- They are the same
- 3/4
- 1/4
3/4
Hint: The parts are all the same size (fourths). 3 parts is more than 1 part.
Question 3
What fraction is shaded?
- 7/8
- 6/8
- 6/9
- 2/8
6/8
Hint: The top number counts the shaded parts (6). The bottom number counts all the equal parts (8). So it's 6/8.
Question 4
What fraction of the pets are dogs?
🐶🐶🐶🐱🐱🐱🐱- 3/8
- 3/4
- 3/7
- 4/7
3/7
Hint: There are 7 pets in all, so the bottom number is 7. 3 of them are dogs: 3/7.
Question 5
In 3/4, what does the 3 tell you?
- How many of the parts are shaded
- How many wholes there are
- How many equal parts make the whole
How many of the parts are shaded
Hint: The bottom number (denominator) tells how many equal parts the whole is cut into. The top number (numerator) tells how many of those parts we are counting.
Question 6
A pie is cut into 8 equal slices. Omar eats 3 slices. What fraction of the pie did Omar eat?
🥧8 slicesanswer box
3/8
Hint: The pie has 8 equal slices, and Omar eats 3 of them: 3/8.