Mastering Equivalent Fractions With Bars and Number Lines!

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Have you ever noticed that sometimes things look different but are actually the same?

Imagine you split a sandwich into two big pieces and eat one of them.

• That’s ¹/₂ of the sandwich, right?

Now, imagine cutting the same sandwich into four smaller pieces and eating two.

• Guess what?

You’re still eating the same amount!

Here’s why: ¹/₂ and ²/₄ are equivalent fractions! They might look different, but they represent the same value.

• Cool, right?

What Are Equivalent Fractions?

Equivalent fractions are just two different ways to say the same thing.

Even though they have different numerators (the top numbers) and denominators (the bottom numbers), they’re still equal.

For example, ¹/₂ and ²/₄ look different but represent the same part of a whole.

• How can you tell if fractions are equivalent?

Finding equivalent fractions is like finding a secret code.

To make an equivalent fraction, multiply or divide both the top (numerator) and bottom (denominator) numbers by the same number.

Take the fraction ¹/₂, for example. Multiply both the 1 and the 2 by 2. You get ²/₄.

So, ¹/₂ = ²/₄. They’re equivalent!

It's your turn.

• Can you see if ¹/₃ and ²/₆ are equivalent?

Multiply both the top and bottom of ¹/₃ by 2.

• What do you get?

¹/₃ is the same as ²/₆, so they are equivalent!

Bonus Trick: Cross-Multiply!

Here’s another trick to check if two fractions are equivalent: cross-multiplication.

Try it with ¹/₂ and ²/₄.

1. Multiply 1 (from ¹/₂) by 4 (from ²/₄). You get 4.

2. Now, multiply 2 (from ¹/₂) by 2 (from ²/₄). You also get 4!

Since both products are the same, the fractions are equivalent!

Check out this video to review how you can find equivalent fractions!

You can use different math tools to help uncover equivalent fractions, too!

Fraction Bars

Using fraction bars is like looking at fractions under a magnifying glass.

Imagine a set of colorful bars. Each bar represents a whole candy bar split into different parts.

Give it a try with ¹/₂ and ²/₄!

Take the ¹/₂ bar and place it next to the ²/₄ bar. They both cover the same amount of space.

The bar showing ¹/₂ has one section shaded out of two equal parts. The bar showing ²/₄ has two sections shaded out of four equal parts.

Your turn! Try comparing ¹/₃ and ²/₆ using fraction bars.

• What do you notice?

• Do you see how ¹/₃ and ²/₆ line up perfectly?

Woo! They are equivalent fractions!

Watch the video below to review your new magic trick with fraction bars.

Number Lines

Number lines are perfect for spotting equivalent fractions.

A number line is a straight line with numbers on it.

Find ¹/₂ on a number line by splitting it into two equal parts.

Now try dividing it into four equal parts and finding ²/₄.

They land on the same spot!

Even though the fractions are written differently and look different, they’re on the same spot on the number line!

That means they are equivalent.

Watch another video to see the number line magic trick in work.

You’ve cracked the code of equivalent fractions!

Remember, next time you see fractions that look different, they might be telling the same story.

Head to the Got It? section and put your new skills to the test!