What is our suggestion?
To construct a full understanding of fractions, learners should be exposed to the various situations where fractions
are involved.
Here are some of the meanings that fractions can have:
• Part of a whole, where the whole is a single object
– One third of a sausage
• Part of a whole, where the whole is a collection of objects
– One third of a Grade 4 class
• Relationship or ratio
– She earns half of what he earns
Mix one-part milk with two-parts water
• Unit of measurement
– Three quarters of a metre
• A number
– 4 1 / 4 is greater than 4 and less than 5
• A fraction can be used as an operator
– ¾ can be ‘times 3’ and ‘divided by 4’
• The fraction notation can be used to represent division
– 25 ÷ 5 can be written as 25 / 5
The fraction concept should be anchored in word problems (scenarios/
situations) to allow learners to reason about and understand the situation. Most
importantly, the fraction concept should be developed over a long period of
time by revisiting well-chosen situations.
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