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Locate and Label Non-Unit Fractions on a Number Line

Students will represent fractions a/b on a number line by starting at 0 and counting off 'a' lengths of 1/b. They will understand that a/b is located 'a' equal steps from 0, and they will be able to locate fractions such as 2/3, 3/4, and 5/6 on a properly partitioned number line.

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Locate and Label Non-Unit Fractions on a Number Line

Grade 3 · Fractions on a Number Line · question 1 of 3

0 of 12

12 rungs. A star at the top.

01B

Jada counts the equal parts of the line from the start to measure where dot B sits. What fraction does that dot show?

Count the equal parts from 0.

Your answer:

How it is taught

0:00 of 3:31

A fraction a/b is a equal jumps of 1/b from 0.

Count the jumps, not just the tick marks.

012EFG

Read it: Count the gaps, not ticks

A line runs from 0 to 1, cut in half. You could count 3 marks, but the walk has 2 equal steps.

  1. Start at 0 on the line.
  2. Count the equal steps to the mark: 1 of 2.
  3. Name that place on the line: 1/2.

Counting the marks gives 3, because 0, the middle and 1 are all ticks, but ticks are not the steps.

Each step from 0 to 1 is the same size, so 1 step out of 2 is halfway.

The shaded piece covers 1 of those 2 steps, so it sits at the same place as 1/2.

Count the equal gaps, not the ticks; that many steps is the fraction.

Counting the 3 ticks and saying the mark is 3, not 1/2.

Ticks are the ends of the steps. 2 equal steps from 0 to 1: the middle is 1/2.

Tell the fraction you land on at Q. — 0.25. From 0, count 2 ticks of 1/8 to the right: the dot marks 1/4.

Locate 2/3 on a number line

Today we'll find a fraction on a number line. Let's locate two-thirds.

Here is a number line from zero to one.

The bottom number, three, tells us to split the line into three equal parts.

Each little step is one-third long.

We want two-thirds. The top number, two, tells us how many steps to take.

Start at zero. Take one step — that's one-third.

Take another step — that's two-thirds.

Where is 23 on the number line?Locate 2301011323+13+13233 equal partstake 2 steps23ANSWER232 steps of 13
Grade 3 · Counting equal steps from 0

Drop a dot right here to mark two-thirds.

Two-thirds is two equal steps from zero. Great job!

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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