Importance of equivalent fractions in learning mathematics
Basic math skills are one of the keys to being successful in math. In order to study basic mathematics, students need to learn fractions as the main part of arithmetic, and therefore as basic mathematics. To learn fractions, they can be divided into many subsections. One of the most basic subsections in the study of fractions is equivalent fractions. Students need to know two main things about equivalent fractions and they are their definition and their applications to other fractions and math sections.
The definition:
When two fractions have the same value, they are called equivalent fractions. Note that these fractions have different numerators and denominators, but still represent the same part of a whole or group of things.
Let’s take an example of two equivalent fractions from an activity of daily living. Consider that Ron and Billy are two brothers and Ron likes cheese pizza and Billy likes pepperoni pizza.
His mom makes them two equal-sized pizzas, cheese for Ron and pepperoni for Billy. Ron likes to eat small portions, so Mom cuts his cheese pizza into six equal pieces. Billy doesn’t care about the size of the slice, so Mom just cuts the pepperoni pizza into four large slices.
Billy now eats two slices of the four slices of pepperoni pizza and therefore eats “half” of his pizza, which can be written as fractions of “2/4”. Ron is hungry and eats three slices of his cheese pizza and can be written as 3/6. But, 3 of 6 slices is also “half”. So, Ron also eats half of his pizza.
So both children eat the same amount of each pizza, which is half. But Ron’s amount is 3/6 of his pizza and Billy eats 2/4 of his pizza, but they both eat the same amount of pizza, which is half. Therefore, 2/4 and 3/6 are equivalent fractions, since they represent the same amount of pizza consumed by two people.
You can choose any other similar example to further explain it to the children, such as two same size apples cut into two and four equal parts. Many online sites have more insights into the concept and can be used to improve children’s understanding of this basic math skill.
Applications in mathematics:
Equivalent fractions have many applications for learning higher fraction topics. There are the following major fraction topics, which need knowledge of equivalent fractions as a foundation:
1. To simplify fractions to lowest terms
2. Compare and order fractions
3. Add and subtract fractions
Therefore, children need to know equivalent fractions before they want to learn the above fraction topics. Therefore, it is the best idea to check your children’s knowledge on this topic before asking them to do the higher math topics.
As a conclusion, children in elementary grades need to know the definition and applications of equivalent fractions to learn higher mathematical or arithmetic concepts. Children can start learning this skill as soon as they have the basic idea of writing fractions or drawing fractions. Also, most children in third grade learn this skill.