Fractions – Parts of a Set

Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson

Athens State University
PT3 Grant Funding, Summer 2000
 Fractions

 A fraction can show us 1 red jewel

a part of a set.

 In this example, we
have 1 red jewel 2 blue
jewels
and
2 blue jewels.
 Fractions
 Our total number in the set is
1, 2, 3 jewels in all. Count
them with me. 1
We’ll put our total number on
the bottom of our fraction
2
because the big, heavy number
sinks to the bottom.
___
3
3 total # of jewels
 Fractions
 The total number of red
jewels is 1. We’ll put that 1 red
number on top of the 3. jewel

1 # of red jewels
3 total # of jewels
 Fractions
 We read it like this:
“I have 3 jewels in all.
One-third of my jewels are
red.”

1 # of red jewels
3 total # of jewels
 Fractions
We can also say:
“I have 3 jewels in all.
One-third of my jewels are 1 red
red.” jewel
1
3
“Two-thirds of my jewels are 2 blue
blue.” jewels
2
3
Now you do one by yourself.

How many jewels are there in this set?

You’re right! There are 4 jewels in all.

Now you do one by yourself.

What part of this set has blue jewels?

You’re right! There are 3 blue jewels.

Now you do one by yourself.

How do we write that as a fraction?

You’re right! “Three-fourths of

our jewels are blue.”
3
4
 THE END

A Project Developed for

Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use
Technology (PT3)
By Dr. Beth McCulloch Vinson
Athens State University, College of Education
http://www.athens.edu/vinsobm