Fractions less than 1 Whole, Equal to 1 Whole, or Greater than 1 Whole.

Many students think that all fractions are less than 1. Some fractions are less than 1, some are equal to 1, and others are greater than 1.  Here’s how you tell how large a fraction is.  Start with the bottom number. The bottom number tells you how many equal parts are in each whole group.  How many parts are in each of these whole groups? 43286

The top number tells how many parts we use.  How many parts are shaded in each of these whole groups? ``

If a fraction equals 1 you use the same number of parts in each whole group. If the bottom number is 4, you use 4 parts in each group.  If you had 1 whole group shaded in, how many parts would you use?  That’s right, 4 parts.  So the fraction 4 equals 1 whole group. 4  The fraction 4 equals 1. 4

If a fraction equals 1 you use the same number of parts in each whole group. If the bottom number is 3, you use 3 parts in each group.  If you had 1 whole group shaded in how many parts would you use?  Good job, 3 parts.  So the fraction 3 equals 1 whole group. 3  3 equals 1. 3

 If you had 1 whole group shaded in how many parts would you use?  Yes, 8 parts  So the fraction 8 equals 1 whole group. 8  8 equals 1. 8 If a fraction equals 1 you use the same number of parts in each whole group. If a bottom number is 8, you use 8 parts in each group.

Which of the following fractions equal 1?

You can look at a fraction and tell if the number is less than 1 whole, equals 1 whole, or less than 1 whole.  The bottom part tells how many parts are in each whole group.  This fraction has 6 parts in each whole group. If the fraction equals 1, how many parts would we use?  6 equals 1 whole group. 6

If a fraction has 6 parts and we use more than 6 parts, then we have more than one whole group. This fraction has 8 parts. So we have more than 1 whole group.  8 is more than 1 whole group. 6  So the fraction 8 is more than one whole group. 6

If a fraction has 6 parts and the top number in a fraction uses less than 6 parts, then we have less than one whole group. This fractions uses 3 parts. So we have less than one whole group.  3 is less than one whole group. 6  So the fraction 3 is less than one whole group. 6

Identify the fractions that are less than one whole, equal to 1 whole, or greater than one whole. GreaterEqualGreaterLessEqual LessGreaterLessEqualGreater )2)3)4) 5) 6)7)8) 9)10) Your Turn

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