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

Text

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. ...

Interactive

Sites2See – number for primary

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

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.

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.

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 ...

Video

AERO Ochre Maths Year 6 Unit 2 - Fractions

This sequence of 10 lessons teaches students about fractions, and their relationship with whole numbers and decimals.

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.

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, ...

Video

Adding decimals

This is a video demonstration, with audio commentary, of the procedure of adding decimal fractions. In the commentary, the presenter emphasises the links with the underpinning concepts of place value. Practice questions, limited to addition of decimal fractions involving tenths and hundredths, are presented with answers, ...

Interactive

Wishball: hundredths

Test your understanding of decimal place value with numbers that include hundredths. Receive a starting number, such as 46.87, and work towards turning it into a target number, such as 85.32. Spin a random digit, choose its decimal place value and decide whether to add or subtract the random digit from your starting number. ...

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

Summing Decimals

An interactive resource in which students learn how to add and subtract numbers that have up to two decimal places.

Online

Literacy and numeracy improvement: a whole-school approach

This teacher resource describes how 74 public schools in metropolitan, regional and rural Western Australia used three major components of the school improvement cycle to achieve significant improvement in the literacy and numeracy learning outcomes of their students. The resource is organised in nine sections: Summary, ...

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

Connecting fractions, decimals and percentages

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses the connections between fractions, decimals and percentages from the Australian Curriculum for year 6 students. It contains material on the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages and helps students understand that although there are ...

Online

Whole numbers with all four operations

This is a website designed for both teachers and students that addresses whole numbers with the four operations from the Australian Curriculum for year 6 students. It contains material on the strategies and algorithms used when adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole numbers. There are pages for both teachers ...

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.