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2nd grade · Math · Unit 8 of 16

Fractions of a Whole

Equal parts: halves, thirds, fourths and more

What your child practices

A fraction names equal parts of one whole. Children read unit fractions such as 1/4 and 1/8, learn that more equal parts means smaller parts, and name fractions like 3/4 from a picture. All wholes are cut into 10 or fewer equal parts.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: 2.G.A.3 · partitioning circles and rectangles into halves, thirds and fourths

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The bottom number tells how many equal parts.
  2. The top number tells how many parts we mean.
  3. 1/4 is one of four equal parts.

Example: A pizza has 3 equal slices. What fraction is one slice? There are 3 equal parts. One slice is 1 of 3. Answer: 1/3

Fractions of a Whole in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 8 of 16 in 2nd grade Math, after Numbers to 1000 and before Skip Counting.

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: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A pizza is cut into 5 equal slices. What fraction is one slice?

    🍕
    • 1/5
    • 1/6
    • 5/1

  2. Question 2

    What fraction of the shape is shaded?

    • 3/7
    • 3/6
    • 6/9

  3. Question 3

    4/5 of a bar is shaded. What fraction is NOT shaded?

    • 1/4
    • 1/5
    • 1/6

  4. Question 4

    1/3 means one of how many equal parts?

    • 3
    • 4
    • 2

  5. Question 5

    Which is the bigger piece: 1/7 or 1/4?

    • 1/7
    • 1/4

  6. Question 6

    What fraction of the shape is shaded?

    • 7/9
    • 7/8
    • 8/15

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