Examples of what pupils should know and be able to do
Recognise that:
- a fraction such as
can be reduced to an equivalent fraction 
by dividing both numerator and denominator by the same number. - a fraction such as
can be changed to an equivalent fraction 
by multiplying both numerator and denominator by the same number.
Recognise fractions that are equivalent to 
, 
and other unit fractions.
- FTM(P) Y456 p. 23 - Acrobat pdf document (24Kb)
- Fractions test question - Rtf (rich text format) document (48Kb)
Probing questions
What clues do you look for when reducing fractions to their simplest form?
How do you know when you have the simplest form of a fraction?
Give me a fraction that is equivalent to 
but has a denominator of 18. How did you do it?
What if pupils find this a barrier?
The main barrier for pupils is a lack of understanding of equivalent fractions. Use a counting stick to guide chanting of pairs of multiples, e.g. 1 and 4 (1, 4, 2, 8, 3, 12, etc.). This generates proportional sets and can help form a clearer understanding of the relationship between the numerator and denominator of equivalent fractions. This enables pupils to build up full sets of equivalent fractions rather than the smaller set generated by doubling.
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