How To Add Fractions Using Manipulatives

we want to use the fraction wall tocompare the fractions using greater than, less than, or equal. touse a fraction wall, we define the long blue bar at thebottom as one whole. so if we cut or denominate this into twoequal partitions, or two equal pieces, we have the one-half rods. if we cut or denominate one whole

How To Add Fractions Using Manipulatives, into three equal partitions, or three equal pieces we have the one-third rods. and if we cut or denominate one whole into four equal partitions, or four equalpieces, we have the one-fourth rods, and so on. similarly, we have the

one-sixth rods, the one-eighth rods, the one-twelfth rods and the one twenty-fourth rods. and now to compare the fractions, we'll model each fraction using our rods. so we'll model three-fourths using threecopies of the one-fourth rod, or three, one-fourth rods. so we'd have one, two, three one-fourth rods to represent three-fourths. and for five-sixths, we would use five copies of the one-sixth rods, or five one-sixth rods. so we'd have one, two, three, four, five

one-sixth rods for five-sixths. notice how the train of one-sixth rods is longer than the train of one-fourth rods, which means five-sixths is greater than three-fourths, or if we want, three-fourths is less than five-sixths. so we'd have three-fourths is less than five-sixths. next we're comparing three-eighths and eight twenty-fourths. so for three-eighths, so for three-eighths we'd use three copies of the one-eighth rods or three one-eighth rods. so thiswould represent three-eighths.

and now we'll represent eight twenty-fourths using eight copies of the one twenty-fourth rods, or eight, one twenty-fourth rods. so we have two, four, six, eight, one twenty-fourth rods. this represents eight twenty-fourths. notice how the train of one-eighth rods is longer than the train of one twenty-fourth rods. which means three-eighths is greater than eight twenty-fourths. and for our last example, we are comparing one-third and four-twelfths. so for one-third we just use one, one-third rod.

and then for four-twelfths, we would use four copies of the one-twelfth rod, or four one-twelfth rods. so we have one, two, three four one-twelfth rods for four-twelfths. and notice how the train of one-twelfth rods is the same length as the one-third rod, which means these two fractions areequivalent or equal. so one-third equals four-twelfths. so a fraction wall can be a nice way to compare fractions. i hope you found this helpful.