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4th grade

Course: 4th grade > Unit 7

Lesson 1: Equivalent fractions
Math
4th grade
Equivalent fractions and comparing fractions
Equivalent fractions
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Equivalent fractions and comparing fractions: FAQ

Google Classroom
Frequently asked questions about equivalent fractions and comparing fractions.

What are equivalent fractions?

Equivalent fractions are fractions that represent the same part of a whole, even though they look different. For example, start fraction, 1, divided by, 2, end fraction and start fraction, 2, divided by, 4, end fraction are equivalent fractions because they both represent half of a whole.
Try it yourself with this exercise:

How can I use fraction models to find equivalent fractions?

You can use fraction models, like pie charts or bar models, to visually see how two fractions might be equivalent. For example, if you draw two pie charts and divide one in half and the other into four equal parts, you can see that start fraction, 2, divided by, 8, end fraction and start fraction, 1, divided by, 4, end fraction are equivalent.
circle with 2 of 8 equal parts shaded.same-sized circle with 1 of 4 equal parts shaded, covering the same area as the first circle.
start color #0c7f99, start fraction, 2, divided by, 8, end fraction, end color #0c7f99, equals, start color #9e034e, start fraction, 1, divided by, 4, end fraction, end color #9e034e
Try it yourself with this exercise:

How can I use number lines to find equivalent fractions?

You can use number lines to show how two fractions might be equivalent. For example, if you mark start fraction, 1, divided by, 2, end fraction and start fraction, 4, divided by, 8, end fraction on a number line, you'll see that they both land on the same spot.
A number line labeled zero to three-halves with tick marks every one-half unit. Above the number line, the tick mark at zero is labeled zero-eighths, the tick mark at one-half is labeled four-eighths, the tick mark at one is labeled eight-eighths, the tick mark at three-halves is labeled twelve-eighths. There is a blue point at the one-half tick mark, which is also labeled four-eighths.
Try it yourself with this exercise:

How can I compare fractions with unlike denominators?

To compare fractions with unlike denominators, you can either use a common denominator or use benchmarks.
Common denominators are when two or more fractions have the same denominator (the bottom number in a fraction). To use a common denominator, you can find equivalent fractions for both fractions so that they both have the same denominator.
Benchmarks are fractions that are commonly used to compare other fractions to. The most common benchmark fractions are start fraction, 1, divided by, 4, end fraction, start fraction, 1, divided by, 2, end fraction, and start fraction, 3, divided by, 4, end fraction. To use benchmarks, you can compare the fractions to a benchmark fraction, like start fraction, 1, divided by, 2, end fraction, to see which fraction is larger or smaller.
Try it yourself with these exercises:

Why is it important to learn about comparing fractions and equivalent fractions?

Comparing fractions and equivalent fractions are important skills for a few reasons. For one, they help you build a deeper understanding of what fractions represent and how they work. Additionally, knowing how to compare fractions and find equivalent fractions can be helpful in real life situations, such as when you're cooking or baking and need to measure out ingredients.

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