Mathematics / Year 6 / Number and Algebra / Fractions and decimals

Curriculum content descriptions

Solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions with the same or related denominators (ACMNA126)

Elaborations
  • understanding the processes for adding and subtracting fractions with related denominators and fractions as an operator, in preparation for calculating with all fractions
  • solving realistic additive (addition and subtraction) problems involving fractions to develop understanding of equivalent fractions and the use of fractions as operators
  • modelling and solving additive problems involving fractions by using methods such as jumps on a number line, or by making diagrams of fractions as parts of shapes
General capabilities
  • Numeracy Numeracy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Subtraction,  Addition,  Related denominators

Interactive

Fraction fiddle: hit the apple

Help an archer to hit an apple with his arrow. Build two fractions to make a total of one whole. Complete the numerators of both fractions (they may have fixed denominators). For example, work out how many quarters and how many eighths can be added together to total one whole. Look at fraction bars and a number line to ...

Online

Fractions: Year 6 – planning tool

This planning resource for Year 6 is for the topic of Fractions. Students develop increasingly efficient strategies for adding and subtracting fractions with related and unrelated denominators. They develop conceptual understanding by being given opportunities to estimate before computation and justify their thinking. They ...

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Pattern & Algebra Year 6 - Calculate

The focus of this activity to challenge students to unpack a rule and see if it is being used correctly. Often students will just learn a rule and blindly use it. This task gets students to stop and think and then make corrections to ensure the rule works in all cases (generalise).

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Café Fractions - Calculate

In this task, students take the role of the owner of a cake wholesaler, baking and supplying cakes to local café businesses. As café owners order their weekly cakes by the slice, students are required to add unit fractions together to calculate total cake orders. They then solve problems associated with subtracting fractional ...

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Fractions

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses components of the arithmetic of fractions. It is particularly relevant for comparison and addition and subtraction of fractions with related denominators. It also contains material on finding a fraction of a quantity where the result is a whole number. ...

Video

What is a quarter?

What is a quarter? You get quarters when you divide a whole into four equal parts. Each one of these four parts is a quarter. Watch this great explainer produced by Monique in collaboration with ABC Splash and see how she explains quarters.

Video

Fractions in the real world

How many quarters make up a whole? Watch this video to find out how else you can represent 2/4 and how to add up quarters to make a whole.

Interactive

Fraction basics - Easy & Effective Fractions Tutor - iTunes app

Learn about the core concepts of fractions through 12 animated clips. View the clips on the topic that you want to learn about. These clips will help build a string foundation in fractions. Free when reviewed on 12/5/2015.

Online

reSolve: Fraction Benchmarks

This sequence of two lessons focuses on the idea that fractions are numbers and builds students' understanding of the relative sizes of fractions. Students build their fractional sense through determining if fractions are closest to 0, 1/2 or 1. In the first lesson, students use sets of fraction cards to sort fractions ...

Interactive

Circus towers: square stacks

Work out how many acrobats are needed to form square-shaped human towers. Start by building a square tower with four acrobats: two acrobats in the base layer and two acrobats standing on their shoulders. Examine a table and graph of the total number of acrobats in the towers. Predict the number of acrobats needed to build ...

Interactive

Equivalent fractions pointer

This is an interactive resource about fractions. It presents students with a fraction and its equivalent visual representations as both the shaded portion of a shape and as the location on a number line. Students are also presented with two other empty shapes, and are required to divide each blank shape into equal portions ...

Video

Subtracting decimals

This is a video demonstration, with audio commentary, of the procedure for pen-and-paper subtraction of decimal fractions. In the commentary, the presenter emphasises the links with the underpinning concepts of place value. Practice questions, limited to subtraction of decimal fractions involving tenths and hundredths, ...

Online

TIMES Module 14: Number and Algebra: fractions - teacher guide

This is a 16-page guide for teachers that provides an introduction to fractions. It covers ordering, the four basic arithmetic operations, cancelling, writing in simplest form, the use of the area model for multiplication and the use of the number line for ordering, adding and subtracting. A history of the development of ...

Online

TIMES Module 7: Number and Algebra: addition of whole numbers - teacher guide

This is a 16-page guide for teachers. This module introduces addition of whole numbers.

Online

TIMES Module 8: Number and Algebra: subtraction of whole numbers - teacher guide

This is a 16-page guide for teachers. This module continues the consideration of whole numbers.

Interactive

Sites2See: Patterns and Algebra

Selected links to a range of interactive online resources for the study of patterns and algebra in Foundation to Year 6 Mathematics.

Interactive

The Numberline

An interactive tool that can help students explore a number line, including points representing integers, fractions and decimals

Online

reSolve: Reconciliation data

This lesson prompts students to examine data from the Reconciliation Barometer report, collect their own local data and compare with the national findings. Students discuss the meaning of reconciliation, explore statements from Reconciliation Barometer report, design a survey to collect local data relating to the statements ...

Online

Decimals

This is a website designed for teachers and students in year 5, and addresses components of the working with decimals topic. It is particularly relevant for comparison, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with decimals. There are pages for both teachers and students. The student pages contain interactive ...

Online

Percentage discounts

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that refers to making connections between percentages, decimals and fractions, as well as calculating percentages and percentage discounts from the Australian Curriculum for year 6 students. It contains material on calculating percentages of an amount and calculating ...