2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Chapter 6: FRACTIONS

A fraction represents a part of a whole.

For example,

2 5 3
3 8 4

In the fraction,

3 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟
=
4 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟

Numerator: number on the top.

Denominator: number on the bottom.

Reading fractions:

7
10
Three ways to read a fraction.

1. Seven over ten.

2. Seven divided by ten.
3. Seven tenths.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

We have special words for some fractions:

1
= 𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒇
𝟐

1
= 𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅
𝟑

1
= 𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓
𝟒
1
= 𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝒇𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒉
𝟓

Example: Draw a line to match the fractions to the words.

2
One seventh 3

3
Two fifths 4

2
One sixth
5

Three quarters 3
5
8
Five divided by nine 1
6
Twelve over fifteen 12
15
Two thirds
5
9
Three and five eighths
1
7

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example:
In June there were 23 sunny days. What fraction of June was sunny? There are 30 days in June.

Example:
You go to school on five days each week. What fraction of a week is this?

Example:
In a class of thirty-two children, ten take French, eight take music and twenty-five take geography.
What fraction of the children in the class takes

a. French? b. Music? c. Geography?

Example: What fraction of 2 hours is 45 minutes?

Example: What fraction of £1 is 35 pence?

Example: What fraction of 1 year is 51 days?

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Types of fractions:

1. Unit Fraction 𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 1

! ! !
Example: ! , !" , !

2. Proper Fractions 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟

! !" !!
Example: ! , !" , !

3. Improper Fractions 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟

!" !"# !!"

Example: !
, !"" , !

4. Mixed Numbers 𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡

! ! !
Example: 1 ! , 9 ! , −2 !

You can convert (change) improper fractions to mixed numbers and mixed numbers to improper
fractions.

Example: Convert the following mixed numbers to an improper fraction.

! !
a. 3 ! b. 1 !"

Example: Convert the following improper fractions into a mixed number.

!! !"
a. !
b. !

HOMEWORK: page 170, Exercise 8D: 1, 2 and 3.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

6.1 Equivalent fractions

To find an equivalent fraction multiply or divide the numerator and the denominator by the same
number.

For example,
×𝟓

3 15
=
4 20

×𝟓

You can illustrate this with a diagram.

3 = 15
4 20

Example: Fill in the missing number in each of these equivalent fractions.

! ! !" !"
a. = !" b. !
= c. = !"
! !"

HOMEWORK: page 162, Exercise 8A: 3, 7 and 8.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Simplifying Fractions:

A fraction is in its simplest form if you cannot divide its numerator and denominator by the same whole
number, other than 1.

If you are asked to simplify a fraction it means finding its simplest form.

Example: Write each of these fractions in its simplest form.

!" !" !"

a. b. !"
c. !"
!"

HOMEWORK: page 162, Exercise 8A: 4 and 9.

6.2 Comparing fractions

You can compare fractions to each other, in terms of size.

! !
Example: Which is bigger, ! 𝑜𝑟 ! ?

! !
Example: Compare the two fractions ! 𝑎𝑛𝑑 !.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example: Write >, <, = between the fractions in each pair.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
a. ! … b. ! … c. !
… !
d. ! … e. !!
… !"
! ! !"

Example: Arrange the following fractions in descending order. (Same numerator!)

! ! ! ! ! !" !" !" !" !"

a. , ,
! ! !" ! !"
, , b. , , !! , ,
!" ! ! !

Example: Arrange the following fractions in ascending order.

! Before we can compare these fractions we must find equivalent fractions that have the same
denominator.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! !
a. ,
! !" ! !
, , b. , , ,
! ! ! !"
c. 2 ! , ! , !" , !" , !

HOMEWORK: page 165, Exercise 8B: 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8.

HOMEWORK: page 170, Exercise 8D: 4, 5, 6 and 7.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Converting from decimals to fractions

÷𝟓

!" !
0.15 = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = !"

÷𝟓

hundredths

Example: Write the following decimals as fractions. Give your answers in its simplest form.

a. 0.2 e. 7.081

b. 0.17 f. 0.0004

c. 0.403 g. 5.25

d. 1.66 h. 0.35

Converting from fractions to decimals

Example: Write the following fractions as decimals.

! ! ! !
a. !"
c. !""
e. 7 !" g. !"""

! ! ! !"
b. !"
d. 1 !" f. 2 !"" h. !""""

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

6.3 Adding and subtracting fractions

In addition and subtraction denominators must be equal.

• If the denominators are same,

add or subtract the numerators and leave the denominator the same.

For example,

5 1 6
+ =
8 8 8

5 1 4
− =
8 8 8

• If the denominators are different,

Change the fractions into equivalent fractions with the same denominator. Then add or
subtract the numerators and write the common denominator.

For example,

2 1 𝟒 1 5
+ = + =
3 6 𝟔 6 6

2×𝟐 4
=
3×𝟐 6

1 1 𝟓 𝟐 3
− = − =
2 5 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟎 10

1×𝟓 5 1×𝟐 2
= =
2×𝟓 10 5×𝟐 10

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

! !
Example: Work out ! + !.

Example: Work these out. Simplify the answers where you can.

! ! ! !
1. +!= 6. !
−!=
!

! ! !! !
2. !!
+ !! = 7. !"
−!=

! ! ! !
3. !
+!= 8. +!=
!

! ! ! !
4. + !" = 9. !
−!=
!

! ! ! !
5. !
−!= 10. +!=
!

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

! !
Example: A girl spends ! of her pocket money on sweets and ! on milk.

a. What fraction has she spent?

b. What fraction has she left?

! !
Example: A group of friends went to a hamburger bar. ! of them bought a hamburger, ! of them just
bought chips. The rest bought cola.

a. What fraction of the group bought food?

b. What fraction bought a drink?

HOMEWORK: page 168, Exercise 8C: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10a.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

6.4 Calculations with mixed numbers

First change mixed numbers into improper fractions.

Example: Work these out.

! ! !
1. 4! + 2! 6. 11 + !

! ! !
2. 5! + 2! 7. 6−!

! ! !
3. 4! − 2! 8. 3! − 1

! ! ! !
4. 5! − 2! 9. 2 ! + !"

! ! !
5. +3 10. !
+ 1 !"
!

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

! ! !
Example: Work out 1 ! + ! + !".

! !
Example: Work out 2 ! + 2 + 1 !".

! ! !
Example: Work out ! + ! − 1 !.

! ! !
Example: Work out 2 ! − 1 ! + 2 !.

HOMEWORK: page 172, Exercise 8E: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7a.

HOMEWORK: page 174, Review questions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 12.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

6.5 Multiplying fractions

To multiply two fractions, you multiply the numerators and you multiply the denominators.

2 5 10
× =
3 7 21

Simplify the fractions if needed.

For example,

4 15
× =
25 16

To multiply mixed numbers together, change them into improper fractions first.

For example,

1 3
2 × =
3 8

Multiplying fractions and whole number

Make the whole number a fraction, by putting it over 1.

For example,

2 2 𝟓 10
×5= × =
3 3 𝟏 3

Example: Work these out. Simplify the answers where you can.

! !
a. 7 × !
b. 3! × 6

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example: Work these out. Simplify the answers where you can.

! ! ! !
1. ×! 8. 1!×!
!

! ! ! !
2. ×! 9. 4 ! ×2 !
!

! ! ! !
3. !
×! 10. 5 ! ×2 !

! ! !" !
4. !
× !" 11. !!
×2 !

!! !" !
5. × !" 12. 5 ×4 !
!!

! !" !
6. !
× !" 13. 2 ! ×3

! ! !
7. 2 ! × !" 14. !
×9

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Fractions of quantities

Example: Find

! ! !
a. !
𝑜𝑓 18. b. !
𝑜𝑓 36. c. !
𝑜𝑓 24.

!
Example: A bag of flour weighs 1 ! kilograms. What is the weight of 20 bags?

!
Example: There are 150 𝑚𝑙 of juice in my bottle, but I spill ! of it. How much do I spill?

!
Example: It takes 1 ! minutes to make a coffee. How long will it take to make 48 coffees?

!
Example: I win £18 in a game but give ! away. How much do I give away?

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example:
! !
Erik won £400 on the lottery. He spent !" of it. Then he gives ! of the rest to charity. He saves the rest.
How much money does he save?

Example:
! !
A rectangle measures 3 ! by 2 !.

a. Find its perimeter.

b. Find its area.

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Reciprocal of a fraction

To get a reciprocal of a fraction, just turn it upside down.

Fraction Reciprocal

2 7
7 2
5 6
6 5
15 4
4 15
1 2
=2
2 1

Example: Find the reciprocal of the following fractions.

! !! ! d. 4
a. !"
b. !
c. !

Reciprocal of a mixed numbers

To find the reciprocal of a mixed number, we first convert it to an improper fraction, and then turn that
upside down.

Mixed Improper
Reciprocal
Number Fraction
1 11 5
2
5 5 11
2 32 3
10
3 3 32
4 67 9
7
9 9 67
1 22 7
3
7 7 22

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example: Find the reciprocal of the following fractions.

! ! ! !
a. 5 ! b. 10! c. 8 ! d. 4 !

6.6 Dividing fractions

To divide fractions, multiply the first number by the reciprocal of the second number.

!" 𝟕 !" 𝟏𝟏
÷ = × =
!! 𝟏𝟏 !! 𝟕

reciprocal

Example: Work these out. Simplify the answers where you can.

!" ! ! !
1. !"
÷! 4. ÷!
!

! ! ! !
2. !!
÷ !" 5. ÷!
!

!" ! ! !
3. !"
÷ !" 6. ÷!
!"

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example: Work these out. Simplify the answers where you can.

! ! !
1. 8÷! 7. ÷ 1!
!"

! !
2. 35 ÷ ! 8. !
÷ 16

! !" ! !
3. 5 ! ÷ !" 9. !
÷ 1!

! ! ! !
4. 7 ! ÷ 1 !" 10. 2 ! ÷ !

! ! ! !
5. !"
÷ 2! 11. 1 ! ÷ 4 !

! ! ! !
6. 6! ÷ 1! 12. 10 ! ÷ 2 !

Example: Work out the missing fraction in each calculation.

! ! ! ! !
a. × = !" b. × !
=! c. 7 × = 4!
!

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2021-2022 Chapter 6 Year 6 Maths

Example:
!
Tom has 5 ! kg of potatoes among his 7 friends and himself. How much potato will each person get?

Example:
!
The area of a rectangle is 16 ! 𝑚! .
!
The rectangle is 2 ! 𝑚 wide. How long is it?

Example:
!
The product of two numbers is 10 !.
!
One of the numbers is 2 !. What is the other one?

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