Fractions Equivalent fractions Addition and subtraction of like and unlike fractions. Reducing to lowest term

SECOND TERM E-NOTES FOR PRIMARY 4 MATHEMATICS

SUBJECT: Mathematics
CLASS: Basic Four / Primary 4
TERM: Second Term
WEEK: 2
TOPIC: Fractions
SUB-TOPICS:

1. Equivalent fractions
2. Addition and subtraction of like and unlike fractions
3. Reducing fractions to their lowest terms

IMPORTANCE:
Learning fractions helps pupils divide items or quantities into equal parts, fostering sharing and fair distribution in daily life activities at home, school, and markets.

BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Identify equivalent fractions of a given fraction.
2. Solve problems involving addition and subtraction of like and unlike fractions.
3. Apply fractions in real-life sharing activities.
4. Solve basic quantitative reasoning questions involving fractions.

KEYWORDS:
Fraction, numerator, denominator, equivalent, like fractions, unlike fractions, lowest terms.

SET INDUCTION:
Begin the lesson by asking students how they share things like cakes or oranges among friends and family. Introduce the concept of fractions as a way to describe sharing.

ENTRY BEHAVIOR:
Pupils should already know basic addition, subtraction, and multiplication of whole numbers.

LEARNING RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:

1. Paper cutouts of different shapes (e.g., squares, circles).
2. Number lines.
3. Cardboards and fraction charts.
4. Pattern blocks for visual demonstrations.

EMBEDDED CORE SKILLS:

• Critical thinking and problem-solving.
• Collaboration and communication.
• Creativity and imagination.
• Personal development.

REFERENCE BOOKS:

• Lagos State Scheme of Work.
• Primary 4 Mathematics Textbook.

CONTENT

1. What Are Fractions?
Fractions represent a part of a whole or a portion of something. A fraction is written with two numbers separated by a line:

• The top number (numerator) shows the number of parts taken.
• The bottom number (denominator) shows the total number of equal parts.

Example:

• If a cake is divided into 4 equal parts and you take 3 parts, it is written as 3/4.

2. Equivalent Fractions
Equivalent fractions are different fractions that represent the same part of a whole.

How to find equivalent fractions:

• Multiply or divide both the numerator and denominator of a fraction by the same number.

Examples:

• 1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6
• 2/3 = 4/6 = 6/9

Visual Representation: Use a fraction chart or shaded diagrams to show how fractions like 1/2 and 2/4 represent the same size.

3. Addition and Subtraction of Fractions

A. Like Fractions:
These are fractions with the same denominator.

• Add or subtract the numerators and keep the denominator.

Example:

• 2/5 + 1/5 = (2 + 1)/5 = 3/5
• 4/7 – 2/7 = (4 – 2)/7 = 2/7

B. Unlike Fractions:
Fractions with different denominators.
Steps:

1. Find a common denominator (the least common multiple of both denominators).
2. Convert the fractions to have the same denominator.
3. Add or subtract the numerators.

Example:

• 1/4 + 1/6
  Step 1: Common denominator = 12
  Step 2: Convert fractions: 1/4 = 3/12, 1/6 = 2/12
  Step 3: Add: 3/12 + 2/12 = 5/12

4. Reducing Fractions to Lowest Terms
A fraction is in its lowest terms when the numerator and denominator have no common factors other than 1.

Steps to reduce a fraction:

1. Divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common factor (GCF).

Examples:

• 6/12 = (6 ÷ 6) / (12 ÷ 6) = 1/2
• 15/25 = (15 ÷ 5) / (25 ÷ 5) = 3/5

5. Applications of Fractions

• Sharing fruits like oranges equally.
• Dividing items like pizza or cake.
• Understanding measurements in recipes.

EVALUATION:

1. To add or subtract fractions, the ___________ must be the same.
   a) numerator b) denominator c) fraction d) number
2. Which fraction is equivalent to 3/5?
   a) 6/10 b) 9/15 c) 12/20 d) All of the above
3. What is the result of 2/3 + 1/6?
   a) 4/6 b) 5/6 c) 2/9 d) 1/2
4. Reduce 8/16 to its lowest term.
   a) 4/8 b) 1/2 c) 2/4 d) 3/6
5. What is the result of 5/8 – 3/8?
   a) 2/8 b) 1/4 c) 2/4 d) 3/8
6. Find the sum of 3/4 and 1/2.
   a) 5/8 b) 7/8 c) 1 1/4 d) 3/8
7. Which fraction is equivalent to 2/4?
   a) 1/2 b) 4/8 c) 8/16 d) All of the above
8. What is the first step in solving 1/3 + 2/5?
   a) Find a common denominator b) Add the numerators c) Subtract the denominators d) Multiply the fractions
9. Reduce 10/15 to its lowest term.
   a) 2/3 b) 5/7 c) 3/5 d) 4/6
10. What is the result of 1/2 + 2/3?
    a) 5/6 b) 7/6 c) 1/2 d) 2/5

CLASS ACTIVITY DISCUSSION (FAQs):

1. What is a fraction?
   • A part of a whole.
2. How do you find equivalent fractions?
   • Multiply or divide the numerator and denominator by the same number.
3. What are like fractions?
   • Fractions with the same denominator.
4. How do you add unlike fractions?
   • Find a common denominator first.
5. What does “lowest term” mean?
   • A fraction where numerator and denominator cannot be reduced further.

LESSON PRESENTATION:

Introduction: Review previous topics, e.g., basic operations like addition. Introduce fractions using real-life sharing examples.

Body:

1. Define fractions and equivalent fractions.
2. Demonstrate addition and subtraction of like and unlike fractions.
3. Explain reducing to lowest terms with examples.

Conclusion: Recap key points and allow students to ask questions.

Assessment Questions:

1. What is the result of 1/3 + 1/6?
2. Reduce 18/24 to its lowest term.
3. Find an equivalent fraction for 2/5.
4. Subtract 4/9 – 2/9.
5. What is 3/4 + 1/8?

Percentages : Meaning and Conversion of percentages to decimals and fractions