How to teach visual fractions

Grade 1 to Grade 4

Visual fractions means naming a fraction from a shaded shape, and shading a shape to show a fraction. It is where fractions begin, before any calculating. The whole must be split into equal parts: the bottom number (denominator) is how many equal parts the whole is cut into, and the top number (numerator) is how many are shaded.

How to teach it

1. Insist the parts are equal, because a shape split into unequal pieces cannot be used to name a fraction.
2. Read the denominator from the total number of equal parts, and the numerator from how many are shaded.
3. Use different shapes for the same fraction (a circle, a bar, a set of counters) so one half looks like one half whatever the shape.
4. Practise both directions: name the fraction shown, and shade a shape to match a given fraction.
5. Show that all the parts together make the whole (four quarters shaded is one whole, 4/4 = 1).

Common mistakes

• Counting parts that are not equal in size.
• Swapping the numerator and denominator (writing 4/1 for one part out of four).
• Counting the shaded and unshaded parts separately instead of shaded out of the total.
• Thinking a bigger denominator makes a bigger piece.