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Grade 3 · Maths · Lessons
Fractions on the line
📏number line➗equal parts📍dot1️⃣one whole
Fractions on a line.
The big ideaThe bottom counts the equal parts in 1. The top counts the jumps from zero.

How it works

A number line from 0 to 1 is cut into equal parts. The bottom number counts the equal parts in 1.

The top number counts the jumps from zero.

A dot past 1 is more than one whole, like 9/8.

012342 jumps2/4
The dot is 2 jumps of one fourth: 2/4.

Example 1: Fourths

  1. The line from 0 to 1 is cut into 4 equal parts. The dot is 2 jumps from zero.
  2. The bottom is 4 and the top is 2.
  3. The dot is at 2/4, which is the same as 1/2.

Example 2: Sixths

  1. The line is cut into 6 equal parts. The dot is 2 jumps from zero.
  2. The bottom is 6 and the top is 2.
  3. The dot is at 2/6, which is the same as 1/3.

Example 3: Beyond one

  1. The line is cut into eighths and goes past 1. The dot is 9 jumps from zero.
  2. The bottom is 8 and the top is 9.
  3. The dot is at 9/8, a little more than one.

Words to know

numerator
The top number: how many parts you have.
denominator
The bottom number: how many equal parts in all.

Watch out

Try it

  1. The line from 0 to 1 has 5 equal parts. The dot is 3 jumps from 0. Which fraction?
  2. What does the bottom number count?
  3. What does the top number count?
  4. Is 9/8 more or less than 1?
Answers: 1. 3/5 · 2. the equal parts in 1 · 3. the jumps from zero · 4. more than 1
For grown-upsDraw a line on a ruler and count the equal parts in each inch.
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