How to make teaching equivalent fractions a success

What are some equivalent fraction activities that I could use?

I have two different resources that you will LOVE if you are teaching equivalent fractions and want to save precious prep-time. 

• Equivalent fractions for Google Classroom
• Equivalent fractions interactive notebook

Equivalent fractions are fractions that do not have the same numerator and denominator, but are the same value.

Think about a pie (delicious treats always make fractions better). Would you want to take home half the pie, or 3 out of a total of 6 slices of pie? It wouldn’t matter – it’s the same thing! The numbers may be completely different, but the actual amount is equivalent, or the same.

Want an easy introduction lesson? Use the example above I gave about the pie. Make a quick t-chart and write down “1/2 of pie” and “3/6 of pie.” Give students a Post-It note, and have them stick it to the side of the whiteboard for the piece that they prefer. You’ll quickly have a few students that stare at the board and tell you that they can’t make the choice… because the two amounts are the same thing. BINGO! 

I wanted to break down the concepts that your students will need to know to fully understand equivalent fractions and what they are. If your students master the following concepts, they will master equivalent fractions!

Students will need to know what fractions are equal to 1 and 1/2.

Quick tip? Any fraction equal to 1 has the same numerator and denominator. Any fraction equal to 1/2 has a numerator that is half the value of the denominator.

Equivalent fractions to 1: 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5, etc.

Equivalent fractions to 1/2: 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, etc.

Are the fractions equivalent?

When given two fraction models… are the fractions equivalent? 

Often students can simply look at the pictures and know instantly if the fractions are equivalent. However, it is tougher when the numerical fractions are used instead of a picture. Read below how students can find equivalent fractions mathematically!

Below I will show you some of the methods that you can teach students to find equivalent fractions, and how to check that a fraction is truly equivalent.

I love having students use this method to double-check their answers!

Step 1: Draw the first wing of the “butterfly,” starting all the way on the top left, just like reading a book.

Step 2: Multiply these two numbers. Write them on the top left (again, just like reading a book!)

Step 3: Draw the second wing of the “butterfly.”

Step 4: Write the number above the top right.

Step 5: Analyze. Are the two numbers the same? If yes, the fractions are equivalent!

Maybe students want to find an equivalent fraction. Here are the steps how to do this:

Step 1: Pick a number (any number!). 

Step 2: Multiply the top and bottom by this number.

Step 3: That’s it!