Find Simple Fractions of a Set of Objects

In this activity, we will be finding 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, or 1/3 of a set of objects. 

 

1/4 is one quarter

2/4 is two quarters

3/4 is three quarters

1/3 is one third

 

 

Let's have a look at how we can do this. 

 

1. Finding 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4 of a set of objects.

Here we have 12 pencils:

 

 

To find 1/4 of these pencils, the first thing we need to do is split them into equal groups. 

 

We look at the denominator which is the bottom number (the second number) of 1/4 which is 4. This is how many groups we will be splitting the pencils into. 

Then the numerator or top number (the first number) in the fraction, which is 1,  tells us how many groups we are looking at. So we are looking at how many pencils are in one of the four groups. 

 

One way to split pencils into four equal groups is to draw a little picture to help you.

First, draw a circle and split it into four groups:

 

 

Now we are going to equally share our 12 pencils between the four groups, counting round as we go.

Here is how we count out the first four:

 

  

 

We have shared the first four equally between the groups, so now count around the next four:

 

  

 

Keep counting around until you have counted out all 12 pencils:

 

  

 

We have now counted out all 12 pencils (each line represents a pencil). 

They have been shared equally between four groups. 

How many pencils are in one of the groups? There are three. 

This means that 1/4 of 12 pencils is three pencils. 

1/4 of 12 = 3

 

So, how do we find 2/4? 

We have found that 1/4 of 12 is three, so when we look at 2/4 we need to look at two of the groups of four. 

We can go back to our groups, but this time count how many pencils are in two groups:

 

 

There are six pencils in two groups. This means that 2/4 of 12 is six. 

2/4 of 12 = 6

 

How about 3/4 of 12?

We would need to look at three of the four groups here:

 

  

 

There are nine pencils in three groups.

This means that 3/4 of 12 is 9

 

 

Now, let's have a look at finding a third. 

 

2. Finding 1/3 of a set of objects.

Here we have 12 pencils:

 

 

To find 1/3 of these pencils, the first thing we need to do is split them into equal groups. 

We look at the bottom number (the second number) of 1/3 which is 3. This is how many groups we will be splitting the pencils into. 

 

One way to split pencils into three equal groups is to draw a little picture to help you.

First, draw a circle and split it into three groups:

 

  

 

It doesn't have to be drawn perfectly because it is just a little sketch to help you work out the answer. 

Just as before with finding 1/4, share the 12 pencils into the three groups:

 

  

 

 

Here we have shared the 12 pencils equally between the three groups. There are four pencils in each group.

This means that 1/3 of 12 pencils is 4 pencils. 

 

 

Are you ready to tackle some questions?