Year 3 fractions cover finding fractions of amounts, comparing fractions, recognising equivalent fractions such as 1/2 = 2/4, and adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator.
What your child will learn
- Find unit and non-unit fractions of amounts
- Compare unit fractions and fractions with the same denominator
- Recognise equivalent fractions
- Add and subtract fractions with the same denominator
Why 1/3 is bigger than 1/5
It surprises many children that 1/3 is bigger than 1/5 even though 5 is bigger than 3. The more parts a whole is cut into, the smaller each part — a cake shared between 5 gives smaller slices than one shared between 3.
Adding fractions
When the denominators match, the parts are the same size, so you only add the numerators: 2/7 + 3/7 = 5/7. A common mistake is adding the denominators too (giving 5/14) — Fraction Island includes this as a wrong option so children learn to spot it.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. What fraction of the shape is shaded?
Show answer
Answer: 1/3. The shape is split into 3 equal parts and 1 is shaded, so 1/3 (one third) is shaded.
2. What fraction of the shape is shaded?
Show answer
Answer: 1/8. The shape is split into 8 equal parts and 1 is shaded, so 1/8 is shaded.
3. True or false? One quarter of this shape is shaded.
Show answer
Answer: False. The shape is split into 4 equal parts and 2 are shaded, so 2/4 (two quarters) is shaded.
Tips for grown-ups
- Compare slices when sharing food between different numbers of people.
- Use a fraction wall to see equivalent fractions.
- Find fractions of amounts of money: 3/4 of 20 coins.