Subject: Why is 1/4 bigger than 1/5
Name: Sherry
Question:
I have replies for you from three people.
Answer1:
Answer2:
Answer3: And then from Claude. My friend's 4 year old son is starting to understand fractions also. Recently he was asked what he gets when cutting a pizza in two and said "halves". Then he was asked what he gets when cutting halves in two and said "quarters". Then he was asked what he gets when cutting quarters in two and said "eights". Then he was asked what he gets when cutting eights in two and said "I don't know", then he tought about it for a while and said "sixteenths". Then he was asked what he gets when putting four quarters together and said "one". Then he was asked what he gets when putting eight eights together and said "I don't know", then he tought about it for a while and said "one". Of course, the ordering of fourths and fifths would have to come a bit later, but my guess is that children can understand elementary facts about fractions early enough if you respect their own pace. Finally from Penny. Paul and Mary's families each had a regular size pizza for dinner. There are 4 people in Paul's family so he got 1/4 of a pizza. There are 5 people in Mary's family so Mary got 1/5 of a pizza. Who got the larger piece? Why? The Centralizer
|