Objectives
Students should understand that a fraction can be represented as a point on a number line. They use a number line to interpret the following:
1. (a/b) is a copies of (1/b)
2. (a*n/n) is a fraction
3. (0/n) is equal to 0
Vocabulary
fraction
numerator
denominator
unit fraction
Fractions use two symbols to describe this new kind of number: the fraction (a/b) on a number line is a lengths of (1/b), where b indicates the number of equal partitions between 0 and 1.
Students will learn that the denominator indicates the number of equal parts in each whole unit and the numerator indicates the number of those parts.
Which fraction has a value closest to (1/2) ?
a. (5/8)
b. (1/6)
c. (2/2)
d. (1/5)
Answer: a
A fraction is a number that can be represented as point on a number line.
Students use an interactive number line to visualize and explore fractions as numbers.
Make sure students understand that the denominator of a unit fraction names the number of equal parts into which the unit has been partitioned, and that the numerator names the total number of copies of the unit fraction from 0 to the point on the number line named by the fraction.
