5th grade · Math · Unit 4 of 14
Equivalent Fractions
Same amount, different fraction
What your child practices
Making and recognizing equivalent fractions (2/3 = 8/12), simplifying, comparing and ordering fractions, and judging whether a fraction is close to 0, 1/2 or 1.
Alaska content standards learning standard: 5.NF.1 · using equivalent fractions to add and subtract fractions
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Equivalent fractions name the same amount.
- Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to make one.
- Divide the top and bottom by the same number to simplify.
Example: Write a fraction equivalent to 2/3 with a denominator of 12. 3 × 4 = 12, so multiply the top by 4 too. 2 × 4 = 8. Answer: 8/12
Equivalent Fractions in Alaska
In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 4 of 14 in 5th grade Math, after Divide and before Decimals.
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
A garden has 9 plants. 2/3 of them are tomato plants. How many tomato plants are there?
answer box
6
Hint: Write 2/3 as an equivalent fraction with a denominator of 9. Its numerator is the answer.
Question 2
Which fraction is NOT equivalent to 4/5?
- 8/10
- 16/20
- 12/15
- 5/6
5/6
Hint: For each fraction, check: were the numerator and denominator both multiplied by the same number? Adding the same number to both does not keep a fraction equivalent.
Question 3
Which fraction is equivalent to 5/8?
- 5/16
- 7/10
- 11/16
- 10/16
10/16
Hint: Equivalent fractions come from multiplying (or dividing) the numerator and the denominator by the same number.
Question 4
What fraction is shaded? (Any equivalent fraction is correct.)
answer box
9/24
Hint: The numerator is the number of shaded parts. The denominator is the number of equal parts in the whole shape.
Question 5
Is 2/5 closest to 0, 1/2 or 1?
- 0
- 1/2
- 1
1/2
Hint: Half of 5 is 2.5. Compare the numerator 2 with that: much smaller is near 0, about the same is near 1/2, and close to 5 is near 1.
Question 6
Put these fractions in order from least to greatest.
- 2/10
- 2/5
- 1/2
- 6/10
2/10 → 2/5 → 1/2 → 6/10
Hint: Compare with benchmarks (0, 1/2, 1), or rename the fractions with a common denominator. When numerators match, the greater denominator means smaller pieces.