Year 2 fractions include halves, thirds and quarters of shapes and amounts, and the discovery that two quarters are the same as one half.
What your child will learn
- Recognise and name 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4
- Find fractions of shapes and sets of objects
- Find 1/3 and 1/4 of numbers by sharing
- Recognise that 2/4 is the same as 1/2
What the numbers in a fraction mean
In 3/4, the bottom number (the denominator) tells you how many equal parts the whole is split into: 4. The top number (the numerator) tells you how many of those parts you have: 3.
Fractions of amounts
To find 1/3 of 12, share 12 into 3 equal groups — each group has 4. To find 3/4 of 12, find 1/4 (3) and then take three of those groups (9).
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. What fraction of the shape is shaded?
Show answer
Answer: 1/3. The shape is split into 3 equal parts and 1 is shaded, so 1/3 (one third) is shaded.
2. True or false? Three quarters of this shape is shaded.
Show answer
Answer: False. The shape is split into 4 equal parts and 1 is shaded, so 1/4 (one quarter) is shaded.
3. What fraction of the shape is shaded?
Show answer
Answer: 1/4. The shape is split into 4 equal parts and 1 is shaded, so 1/4 (one quarter) is shaded.
Tips for grown-ups
- Share a pizza or cake into thirds and quarters.
- Fold a paper strip into 4 and colour 3 parts.
- Ask questions like "What is a quarter of 20 minutes?"