Pizza, Candy, and Fractions: Dividing Fractions by Whole Numbers!

Mathematics Grades 4th Grade 1:32 Video
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Lesson Description

Learn how to divide fractions by whole numbers using pizza and candy as examples! This lesson helps you understand how to share fractions equally.

Video Resource

Dividing Fractions by Whole Numbers Song

Math Songs by NUMBEROCK

Duration: 1:32
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Fractions as parts of a whole
  • Dividing a fraction by a whole number
  • Visual representation of fraction division

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to divide a fraction by a whole number.
  • Students will be able to represent fraction division visually.
  • Students will be able to explain the meaning of dividing a fraction by a whole number in real-world contexts.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students if they have ever shared food with friends. Discuss how they made sure everyone got a fair share. Introduce the idea of dividing fractions by whole numbers using the video as an example.
  • Video Viewing (3 mins)
    Play the 'Dividing Fractions by Whole Numbers Song' video. Encourage students to pay attention to how the pizza and candy bar are divided.
  • Discussion (7 mins)
    After watching the video, discuss the examples shown (pizza and candy bar). Ask students to explain in their own words what is happening in each scenario. Write the equations (1/2 ÷ 4 = 1/8 and 1/3 ÷ 2 = 1/6) on the board.
  • Guided Practice (10 mins)
    Work through a few more examples together as a class. For example, 'If you have 1/4 of a cake and want to share it with 3 friends, how much of the cake does each friend get?' Draw a visual representation to help students understand the problem. Guide them to write the equation 1/4 ÷ 3 = 1/12.
  • Independent Practice (10 mins)
    Give students a worksheet with several fraction division problems to solve on their own. Encourage them to draw pictures to help them visualize the problems. Examples: 1/3 ÷ 4 = ?, 1/5 ÷ 2 = ?, 1/2 ÷ 3 = ?
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Review the key concepts of dividing fractions by whole numbers. Ask students to share one thing they learned during the lesson.

Interactive Exercises

  • Fraction Division Drawing
    Give each student a blank sheet of paper. Read a problem aloud (e.g., 'Divide 1/3 by 2'). Have them draw a picture to represent the problem and find the answer.
  • Group Sharing
    Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a different fraction division problem. Have them work together to solve the problem and create a visual representation to share with the class.

Discussion Questions

  • What happens to the size of the fraction when you divide it by a whole number?
  • Can you think of other real-life examples where you might need to divide a fraction by a whole number?

Skills Developed

  • Fraction understanding
  • Division skills
  • Problem-solving
  • Visual Representation

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What is 1/2 divided by 2?

Correct Answer: 1/4

Question 2:

If you have 1/3 of a pie and share it with 3 friends, how much does each friend get?

Correct Answer: 1/9

Question 3:

Dividing a fraction by a whole number makes the fraction what?

Correct Answer: Smaller

Question 4:

Which equation shows 1/4 divided by 2?

Correct Answer: 1/4 ÷ 2

Question 5:

What is 1/5 divided by 3?

Correct Answer: 1/15

Question 6:

Imagine you have 1/2 of a pizza. You want to share it equally among 5 people. What fraction of the whole pizza does each person get?

Correct Answer: 1/10

Question 7:

What happens to the denominator (the bottom number) of a fraction when you divide it by a whole number?

Correct Answer: It gets bigger.

Question 8:

Which model represents 1/3 ÷ 4 correctly?

Correct Answer: 1/3 split into 4 equal parts.

Question 9:

A baker has 1/5 of a bag of flour. If they want to use it to make 2 cakes, how much of the bag will go into each cake?

Correct Answer: 1/10

Question 10:

Which of the following is the equivalent to 1/2 divided by 3?

Correct Answer: 1/2 * 1/3

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

When you divide 1/4 by 2, you get _____.

Correct Answer: 1/8

Question 2:

1/3 divided by 5 equals _____.

Correct Answer: 1/15

Question 3:

Dividing a fraction by a whole number is like sharing it with _____ people.

Correct Answer: more

Question 4:

The video showed dividing pizza and _____.

Correct Answer: candy

Question 5:

If you have one half of something and divide it by four, each part is one _____.

Correct Answer: eighth

Question 6:

Dividing a fraction by a whole number makes the result a ______ fraction.

Correct Answer: smaller

Question 7:

The opposite of dividing is __________.

Correct Answer: multiplying

Question 8:

If 1/3 of a cake is shared between 2 people, each person gets ______ of the original cake.

Correct Answer: 1/6

Question 9:

When you divide a fraction, you are splitting it into __________ parts.

Correct Answer: equal

Question 10:

One way to help you understand dividing fractions is to _____ a picture.

Correct Answer: draw

Educational Standards

4.N.3:[Standard] Represent and compare fractions and decimals in real-world and mathematical situations; use place value to understand decimal quantities. 4.N.3.5:[Objective] Use models to add and subtract fractions with like denominators. 4.N.2.5:[Objective] Use strategies and algorithms (e.g., mental strategies, standard algorithms, partial quotients, repeated subtraction, the commutative, associative, and distributive properties) based on knowledge of place value, equality, and properties of operations to divide a 3-digit dividend by a 1-digit whole number divisor, with and without remainders.

Teaching Materials

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