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Explain the relationship within families of equivalent fractions

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can explain the relationship within families of equivalent fractions.

Key learning points

  1. If the multiplicative relationship between the numerator and denominator is the same, the fractions will be equivalent.
  2. In equivalent fractions the numerators will share a common factor and the denominators will share a common factor.
  3. In equivalent fractions, the numerators and denominators have been scaled up or down by the same factor.

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.

  • Scale up and down - Scaling is when a quantity is made a number of times the size. To scale up is to multiply by a factor. To scale down is to multiply by a fraction or to divide.

Common misconception

That equivalent fractions do not have the same value. Pupils can create them but do not always understand that they are equal in value.

Explore representations which show the same whole divided in different ways to show the same proportion of the whole. Represent equivalent fractions at the same point on a number line.

Teacher tip

Give opportunities to explore equivalent fractions in a range of representations, emphasising the fact that they represent the same proportion of the whole. Encourage accurate use of the language of scaling up and scaling down so that pupils see that larger numbers do not mean larger fractions.

Licence

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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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
Which two equivalent fractions could label point a on the number line?

An image in a quiz
$${1}\over{6}$$ and $${3}\over{11}$$
Correct answer: $${1}\over{5}$$ and $${2}\over{10}$$
$${2}\over{5}$$ and $${3}\over{10}$$

Q2.
Which fractions in the list are equivalent to $${1}\over{2}$$?

$${2}\over{3}$$
Correct answer: $${2}\over{4}$$
$${2}\over{5}$$
$${3}\over{5}$$
Correct answer: $${3}\over{6}$$

Q3.
Match the pairs of equivalent fractions.

Correct Answer:$${1}\over{3}$$,$${3}\over{9}$$

$${3}\over{9}$$

Correct Answer:$${2}\over{3}$$,$${4}\over{6}$$

$${4}\over{6}$$

Correct Answer:$${2}\over{5}$$,$${4}\over{10}$$

$${4}\over{10}$$

Correct Answer:$${2}\over{4}$$,$${3}\over{6}$$

$${3}\over{6}$$

Q4.
What is the missing scale factor used to create this pair of equivalent fractions?

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 7, seven

Q5.
What is the missing denominator in this pair of equivalent fractions?

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 12, twelve

Q6.
What is the missing numerator in this pair of equivalent fractions?

An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 18, eighteen

6 Questions

Q1.
Which fractions can describe the shaded area of this shape?

An image in a quiz
$${4}\over{5}$$
$${6}\over{7}$$
Correct answer: $${6}\over{8}$$
Correct answer: $${9}\over{12}$$
$${2}\over{4}$$

Q2.
Which fractions can be used to label point a on the number line?

An image in a quiz
Correct answer: $${4}\over{10}$$
$${5}\over{11}$$
Correct answer: $${2}\over{5}$$
$${3}\over{6}$$

Q3.
Which other fractions could be used to label point a on the number line.

An image in a quiz
Correct answer: $${6}\over{15}$$
$${3}\over{6}$$
Correct answer: $${4}\over{10}$$
$${5}\over{11}$$
Correct answer: $${10}\over{25}$$

Q4.
Which fraction is equivalent to $${4}\over{5}$$ ?

$${5}\over{6}$$
$${8}\over{9}$$
Correct answer: $${8}\over{10}$$
$${2}\over{3}$$

Q5.
Which fractions are less than $${4}\over{5}$$?

Correct answer: $${6}\over{10}$$
Correct answer: $${7}\over{10}$$
$${8}\over{10}$$
$${9}\over{10}$$

Q6.
Which fractions are greater than $${3}\over{5}$$?

$${5}\over{10}$$
$${6}\over{10}$$
Correct answer: $${7}\over{10}$$
Correct answer: $${8}\over{10}$$

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