Fraction, Decimals and Percentages (Linking)
Vocabulary
halves, thirds, quarters
sixths, eights, twelfths
fifths, tenths
Hints and Tips
Our familiarity with the metric system and decimal currency may seem to have made calculations with fractions less important but in many ways, it is more convenient to use common fractions in everyday life.
It is unlikely that we would ask for a 0.5 pint of milk, rather than a half pint. Also, it is easier to cut material into one third of a metre rather than 0.333!
When writing fractions in symbols, NEVER say over, line or slash. These words mean nothing in this context and can cause confusion for your child. Use out of or divided by which have meaning.
Essential Prior Knowledge
Know that decimals are all less than 1
Know that percentage means out of one hundred
Know that a common fraction is less than 1
Activity
Discuss with your child how he/she has been linking Fractions, Decimals and Percentages.
In this activity he/she is going to draw on his/her knowledge and complete a poster/table to formalise and consolidate the links.
Give your child a partly completed grid. Discuss how to complete it, then ask your child to complete the grid. (Your grid can be bigger than this, with more columns.
You could leave a couple of columns blank and ask your child to chose one box to fill in with a value of his/her own and then complete the other two boxes with the corresponding values.
Ask your child how he/she would work out the equivalent fractions and decimals to 5%. There are two ways, working it out from something he/she already knows eg half of 10% and equivalent fractions and decimals, or working out 1% and then multiplying the answer by 5.
Place Value is very important when working out the equivalents.
eg 1% is 1 out of 100 which is the same as 1/1ooth or 0.01
Use this activity as an assessment tool to be able to check on your child's understanding of this topic.
If your child struggles unduly, please look at earlier work on Fractions, Decimals and Percentages as appropriate.