Elementary TestPrep Math 4: (Grades 1-2) Fractions with Manipulatives

A fraction is a way to show a piece or part of something.

For example if you had one cookie,
and you wanted to share it with another person you would have to cut it into two pieces.

You now have two pieces of the cookie. You would get one piece and your friend would get one piece.

Therefore, you would each get one half of the cookie.

1 (how many parts of the whole cookie)
__

2 (The total number of pieces of cookie)

If you had a cookie and you were sharing it with 3 other people and yourself, you would have to cut the cookie into four same size pieces.

You would now have four pieces of the cookie. Each of you would get one fourth of the cookie.

1 (how many parts of the whole cookie)
__

4 (The total number of pieces of cookie)

When you are working with fractions, each piece of the whole needs to be the same size. Pieces that are the same size are also called equal.

Let's try sharing a pizza!

Eight people are going to share this pizza. We need to cut eight same or equal sized pieces.

Each person would get one eighth of the pizza.

1 (how many parts of the whole pizza)
__

8 (the total number of pieces of pizza)

Here are some other examples of fractions.

One third

is red.

One eighth

is red.

One tenth

is red.