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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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Visualizing equivalent fractions review

Google Classroom
Review equivalent fractions with fraction models and number lines, and try some practice problems.

Equivalent fractions

Fractions are equivalent if they are equal or represent the same amount.

Fraction model

Let's look at an example.
12=?8
First, we can draw 12.
A circle divided into two equal parts with one part shaded.
Now, let's divide the same whole into eighths.
A circle divided into eight equal parts. This circle is the same size as the original circle.
How can we shade the whole to show a fraction that is equivalent to 12?
The circle that was divided into eight equal parts is shown with four parts shaded. This shows the same area shaded as the circle that was divided into two parts with one part shaded.
We shaded 4 of the 8 sections.
So, 12=48.

Number line

Let's visualize another equivalent fraction using a number line.
35=?10
Numbers are equivalent when they are located at the same point on the number line.
First, we can show 35 on a number line:
A number line that has, moving from left to right, a starting tick mark at 0, 2 unlabeled tick marks, a tick mark at three-fifths, 1 unlabeled tick mark, and a tick mark at 1. There is a blue point at the three-fifths tick mark.
Now, let's divide our number line into tenths and see what fraction is located at the same point as 35.
A number line that has, moving from left to right, a starting tick mark at 0, a tick mark at one-tenth, 8 unlabeled tick marks, and a tick mark at 1. There is a blue point 6 tick marks to the right of 0, which is the same point on the number line as the point at three-fifths on the previous number line. Starting at 0, every second tick mark is emphasized.
610 and 35 are located at the same point on the number line.
A number line labeled zero to 1 with tick marks every one-tenth unit. Above the number line, the tick mark at zero is labeled zero, the tick mark at two-tenths is labeled one-fifth, the tick mark at four-tenths is labeled two-fifths, the tick mark at six-tenths is labeled three-fifths, the tick mark at eight-tenths is labeled four-fifths, and the tick mark at 1 is labeled 1. A blue point appears at the tick mark labeled six-tenths and three-fifths.
35=610
Want to learn more about visualizing equivalent fractions? Check out this video.

Practice

Problem 1
Complete the equation.
25=★10
★=
  • Your answer should be
  • an integer, like 6
  • a simplified proper fraction, like 3/5
  • a simplified improper fraction, like 7/4
  • a mixed number, like 1 3/4
  • an exact decimal, like 0.75
  • a multiple of pi, like 12 pi or 2/3 pi
A circle divided into five equal parts with two parts shaded.
The same size circle as above divided into ten equal parts. None of the parts are shaded.

Want to try more problems like this? Check out this exercise.

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