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Year 5

Explain the relationship between numerators and denominators in equivalent fractions

I can explain the relationship between the numerators and denominators in equivalent fractions

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Year 5

Explain the relationship between numerators and denominators in equivalent fractions

I can explain the relationship between the numerators and denominators in equivalent fractions

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Equivalent fractions share the same multiplicative relationship between the numerator and denominator.
  2. If a fraction is equivalent to a half, the numerator will be half the value of the denominator.
  3. If a fraction is equivalent to fifth, the denominator will be 5 times the value of the numerator.

Keywords

  • Numerator - The numerator is the top number in a fraction and shows how many parts we have.

  • Denominator - The denominator is the bottom number in a fraction and shows how many equal parts the whole has been divided into.

  • Equivalent fraction - Equivalent fractions are fractions which have the same value, even though they may look different.

Common misconception

Children do not always see the link between the numerator and the denominator in equivalent fractions. This lesson highlights that link and the fact that the proportion of the whole is the same.

Use the stem sentences and generalisations in the lesson to describe the fractions and to relate them to the representations used.


To help you plan your year 5 maths lesson on: Explain the relationship between numerators and denominators in equivalent fractions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Make use of the representations and allow children opportunities to talk and describe what they can see, using the stem sentences and generalisations in the lesson. Draw attention to when we are talking about a part of a whole and when we are looking at a fraction as a number on a number line.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which pairs of equivalent fractions can you see in the image?
An image in a quiz
$${1}\over{3}$$ = $${1}\over{9}$$
Correct answer: $${1}\over{3}$$ = $${3}\over{9}$$
$${2}\over{6}$$ = $${2}\over{9}$$
Correct answer: $${3}\over{9}$$ = $${4}\over{12}$$
Q2.
Which fractions could you use to describe the shaded fraction of this shape?
An image in a quiz
$${1}\over{4}$$
Correct answer: $${2}\over{4}$$
$${2}\over{16}$$
Correct answer: $${8}\over{16}$$
Correct answer: $${1}\over{2}$$
Q3.
Which fractions represent the shaded part of the number line?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: $${2}\over{6}$$
$${2}\over{4}$$
Correct answer: $${4}\over{12}$$
$${1}\over{4}$$
Correct answer: $${1}\over{3}$$
Q4.
Match the parts of the sentences so that they describe equal parts of a whole.
Correct Answer:1 is the same proportion of 2 as ,2 is of 4
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2 is of 4

Correct Answer:1 is the same proportion of 3 as,2 is of 6
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2 is of 6

Correct Answer:1 is the same proportion of 4 as,2 is of 8
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2 is of 8

Correct Answer:1 is the same proportion of 5 as,2 is of 10
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2 is of 10

Q5.
Which of these equations will give an answer of zero?
$${2}\over{6}$$ − $${1}\over{6}$$ =
$${2}\over{6}$$ − $${2}\over{3}$$ =
Correct answer: $${2}\over{6}$$ − $${1}\over{3}$$ =
Correct answer: $${4}\over{12}$$ − $${2}\over{6}$$ =
Q6.
Which of these equations will give the same answer?
$${2}\over{6}$$ + $${1}\over{6}$$ =
Correct answer: $${2}\over{6}$$ + $${1}\over{3}$$ =
Correct answer: $${4}\over{12}$$ + $${2}\over{6}$$ =
$${2}\over{6}$$ + $${2}\over{3}$$ =

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these images represent equivalent fractions?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q2.
Match the statements which describe the digits in these fractions.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:The numerator,increases by 1 each time.
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increases by 1 each time.

Correct Answer:The denominator,is always a multiple of 4
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is always a multiple of 4

Correct Answer:The numerator is,the top number in the fraction.
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the top number in the fraction.

Correct Answer:The denominator is,the bottom number in the fraction.
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the bottom number in the fraction.

Q3.
What is the relationship between the numerator and the denominator in these fractions?
An image in a quiz
The denominator is 3 more than the numerator.
The denominator is double the numerator.
Correct answer: The denominator is 4 times the value of the numerator.
The numerator is 4 times the value of the denominator.
Q4.
Complete this sentence: In all fractions equivalent to one half, ...
the denominator is half the value of the numerator.
the denominator is 2 more than the numerator.
the numerator is 2 more than the denominator.
Correct answer: the denominator is double the value of the numerator.
Correct answer: the numerator is half the value of the denominator.
Q5.
Match the definitions of these equivalent fractions.
Correct Answer:Fractions equivalent to $${1}\over{5}$$,The denominator is 5 times the value of the numerator.
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The denominator is 5 times the value of the numerator.

Correct Answer:Fractions equivalent to $${1}\over{3}$$,The denominator is 3 times the value of the numerator.
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The denominator is 3 times the value of the numerator.

Correct Answer:Fractions equivalent to $${1}\over{4}$$,The denominator is 4 times the value of the numerator.
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The denominator is 4 times the value of the numerator.

Correct Answer:Fractions equivalent to $${1}\over{6}$$,The denominator is 6 times the value of the numerator.
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The denominator is 6 times the value of the numerator.

Q6.
Which fractions are equivalent to $${1}\over{8}$$?
$${2}\over{8}$$
Correct answer: $${2}\over{16}$$
$${3}\over{10}$$
Correct answer: $${100}\over{800}$$
$${2}\over{9}$$