It must seem strange to so many people that you can multiply the top and bottom of a fraction by the same number and the fraction's value remains the same but when you add the same number to top and bottom the fraction's value changes.
Then we think of equations and the rules are different. You can multiply or add to both sides and the equation remains balanced.
What is your best explanation for that?
David Payne, Secondary Maths Teacher
I use your starters a lot. Thank you for such a thought provoking, varied and rich set of activities.
We did the May 22nd “Half hearted” starter today and one of the pupils pointed out that d-n = the new numerator.
Gasps all around. Why? How can it be? And that was just me.
I have now worked it out using your extension activity but it seemed like a really surprising result at first.
I just hope it doesn’t encourage the students to add a number to the numerator and denominator in any other contexts. I did tell them not to try this at home.
Anyway, thanks, and keep up the good work.
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Extension activities
Find the number which when added to the numerator and denominator of each of the fractions above make them equivalent to one third.
What should be added to the numerator and denominator of the fraction whose numerator is n and denominator is d to make it equivalent to one half?
What should be added to the numerator and denominator of the fraction whose numerator is n and denominator is d to make it equivalent to one third?
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Teacher, do your students have
access to computers? Do they have iPads or Laptops in Lessons?
Whether your students each have a TabletPC, a Surface or a Mac,
this activity lends itself to eLearning (Engaged Learning).
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