This unit deals with fractions. Fractions are numbers of the form
where a and b are whole numbers and b is not zero.
This section looks at the meaning of fractions when related to shapes.
Example Question
Look at the shapes below which have been drawn on squared paper.
Example 1
The shape in part (a) is divided into 4 triangles. Each triangle is one quarter (¼) of the whole shape.
Three of the triangles are shaded, so we say that the fraction which is shaded is ¾.
Example 2
The shape in part (b) is divided into 8 rectangles, three of which are shaded.
We say that of the shape is shaded.
Practice Questions
Work out the answer to the two questions below then click on the button marked
to see the answers.
What fraction of the shape in part (c) is shaded?
What fraction of the shape in part (d) is shaded?
Note that the fraction in part (d) can also be written as
or
.
 
Exercises
Work out the answers to the questions below and fill in the boxes. Click on the
button to find out whether you have answered correctly. If you are right
then will appear and you should move on to the next
question. If appears then your answer is wrong. Click
on to clear your original answer and have another go.
If you can't work out the right answer then click on
to see
the answer.
In some of the questions below, you are asked to shade in sections of a diagram. Click with the left mouse button to
shade in a section, and if you want the section to go back to being unshaded, click again with the left button. When you
are satisfied that you have shaded the correct regions, click on the 'check' button to see if you have answered correctly.
Question 1
Work out what fraction of each of the shapes below has been shaded.
Each answer has two boxes. Put the numerator in the top box and the denominator in the bottom box, for example:
Question 2
Shade the given fraction in each of the rectangles below.
(a)
1
3
(b)
3
5
(c)
7
9
(d)
3
4
(e)
5
8
(f)
3
10
Question 3
Look at the rectangle below.
Question 4
Shade the given fraction in each of the rectangles below.
(a)
1
4
(b)
4
5
(c)
7
8
(d)
2
3
(e)
7
16
(f)
9
12
(g)
7
10
(h)
13
20
Question 5
Shade the given fraction in each of the rectangles below.
(a)
1
2
(b)
1
4
(c)
1
3
(d)
1
6
(e)
1
12
Question 6
Below is a rectangle which you can shade by clicking on sections with the left button.
Question 7
Sarah shades of a shape.
Question 8
A cake is divided into 12 equal parts. John eats
of the cake and Kate eats another of the cake.
Question 9
A car park contains 20 spaces. There are 17 cars parked in the car park.
Question 10
Ali eats of the sweets in a packet.
Tariq eats another of the sweets.
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