Week Summary 11/8-12

This week we continued our work with fractions. After discussing the use of benchmarks, such as 1/2 and 1, that are useful in helping us compare fractions last week (such as 1/4 & 2/3), we started this week by discussing the use of common denominators as another strategy to help us compare fractions. For example, if we are trying to compare 7/8 and 10/12, we could find the common denominator for 8 and 12, which would be 24ths and could convert the fractions into equivalent fractions with a common denominator (7/8 = 21/24 and 10/12 = 20/24, therefore 7/8 must be greater than 10/12).

On Tuesday we learned how to convert improper fractions (such as 9/2) into mixed numbers by dividing the numerator by the denominator. The quotient, or answer to the division problem, becomes the whole number and if there is a remainder, the remainder becomes the new numerator over the original denominator. 9/2 = 4 1/2

On Wednesday we used our newly developed conversions of improper fractions to mixed numbers and benchmarks to help us organize 20-30 fractions in a numberline.

On Thursday, we practiced using numberlines as useful tools in solving word problems involving fractions.

On Friday students took their first Fraction Quiz to show what they have learned so far about fractions.

Check out the newly added math notes section on the right side. Notes from the previous week will be updated at the end of the week, in case you missed a day or would like to review what happened.