Ladder Pattern Builder Skill Check Pair Game

Hide Notes Overview: When numbers do not divide exactly, you need to be able to express the answer in the most useful form depending on the situation. Sometimes a remainder is a useful idea. On other occasions it is more helpful to have a fraction, mixed number or decimal answer. These activities explore these ideas step by step.

Step 3 Finding Half of Odd Numbers Investigate! Try Quiz Notes for Teachers: Use counters to revise halving some even numbers (p1). Next get 7 counters and discuss what happens if you try divide them into two equal groups (p2). Agree that there will be a problem because 7 will not divide exactly. Discuss what could be done with the one left over. Either you can leave it out (this is called a remainder) or you could cut it in half and share it between the two groups. Discuss alternative ways of writing the answer - 3r1 (p3) or 3½ (p4). Repeat with 9 counters (p5) and recap also how to write the answer as a decimal (p6). (See How do decimals work? for a simple introduction to decimals.) Set the children to investigate other numbers of counters (p7) and then explore patterns (p8ff). Gather the children together again and explore the link between half of 50 (25) and half of 5 (2.5) (p13). Set them to investigate other pairs of numbers like this (pp13/14). Quiz: Examples such as ½ of 9 = ?, ½ of 15 = ?, etc. Hide Notes       See champions and stars   Step 4 Finding Quarters with Remainders Investigate! Try Quiz Notes for Teachers: Builds on Finding Quarters, looking first at quartering larger numbers and then at quartering numbers that do not quarter! Quiz: Examples such as ¼ of 9 = ?, ¼ of 15 = ?, etc. Answers can be given with remainders or as fractions or mixed numbers. Hide Notes       See champions and stars