Name

Date

STUDY LINK

7 12


Time

Unit 8: Family Letter

Fractions and Ratios

In Unit 4, your child reviewed equivalent fractions. In this unit, we will apply this knowledge
to compute with fractions and mixed numbers. Students will learn that the key to fraction
computation with unlike denominators is to find common denominators.
Unit 8 also introduces fraction multiplication. Students will use folded paper to represent
fractions of a whole. Then the class will study fraction multiplication using area models,
which are diagrams that show a whole divided into parts. This concept building will lead
to a rule for multiplying fractions:
_a
b

ac
_dc = _
bd

2 3
6
3
=_
Example: _25 _34 = _
, or _
5 4
20
10

For mixed-number multiplication, students will rename the mixed numbers as

fractions, then use the rule to multiply. Finally they rename the product as a
mixed number.
5 5 = _
25 = _
Example: 2_12 1_23 = _52 _53 = _
4 16
2 3
6

Your child might want to use partial products to solve this problem:
1
1_2 can be thought of as (2 + _1 ) (1 + _2 ). There are 4 partial
2_
2

products, as shown below.

1
(2+ _
)
2

(1+ _23 )

1=2

_23 = _43

1
_

1 = _12

2
1
_

Copyright Wright Group/McGraw-Hill

_23 = _26

8
3
13
4
1
2
2
1
+_
+_
=2+_
+_
+_
=2+_
= 4_
Add the partial products: 2 + _
3
2
6
6
6
6
6
6

Your child will play several games such as, Build-It and Fraction Action, Fraction
Friction, to practice sorting fractions and adding fractions with unlike denominators.
Finally, as part of the American Tour, students will explore data related to population
distribution and household sizes.
Please keep this Family Letter for reference as your child works
through Unit 8.

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Unit 8: Family Letter cont.

Vocabulary
Important terms in Unit 8:

area model A model for multiplication problems in

which the length and width of a rectangle represent
the factors and the area represents the product.
discount The amount by which a price of an item
is reduced in a sale, usually given as a fraction or
percent of the original price, or as a percent off.
For example, a $4 item on sale for $3 is discounted
3
to 75% or _
of its original price. A $10.00 item at
4
1
10% off costs $9.00, or _
less than the usual price.
10

majority A number or amount that is more than

half of a total number or amount.

quick common denominator Theproductof

the denominators oftwoormorefractions.For
3
example, the quick common denominatorof _
and
4
5
_
= 24. In general, the quick common
is
4

6
6
denominator of _a and _c is b d.
b

unit fraction A fraction whose numerator is 1.

1 _
1
1
For example, _
, 1, _
, and _
are unit fractions. Unit
2 3 8
20
fractions are especially useful in converting between
measurement systems. For example, because
1 foot = 12 inches you can multiply a number of
1
inches by _
to convert to feet.
12

unit percent One percent (1%).

Building Skills through Games

In Unit 8, your child will practice skills with fractions and other numbers by playing the following games.
For detailed instructions of most games, see the Student Reference Book.
Build-It See Student Reference Book, p. 300. This game for partners requires a deck of 16 Build-It fraction
cards. This game provides practice in comparing and ordering fractions.
Factor Captor See Student Reference Book, p. 306. Partners play this game with a calculator and paper
and pencil. This game provides practice finding factors of a number.

Frac-Tac-Toe See Student Reference Book, p. 274276. This game for partners requires a deck of number
cards 010 and a gameboard similar to a bingo card. The game provides practice converting between
fractions, decimals, and percents.
Fraction Action, Fraction Friction See Student Reference Book, p. 312. This game for partners requires a
set of 16 Fraction Action, Fraction Friction cards. The game provides practice adding fractions with
unlike denominators.
Name That Number See Student Reference Book, p. 325. Partners play a card game. This game provides
practice in using order of operations to write number sentences.

Copyright Wright Group/McGraw-Hill

Mixed-Number Spin See Student Reference Book, p. 322. Partners use a spinner to randomly select
fractions and mixed numbers, used to complete number sentences. This game provides practice in
addingand subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.

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Unit 8: Family Letter cont.

Do-Anytime Activities
To work with your child on the key concepts, try these rewarding activities.
1. Ask your child to measure the lengths of two objects using a ruler. Then ask him or
her to calculate the sum and difference of their lengths.
2. Ask your child to explain how to use the fraction operation keys on his or her
calculator. For example, ask your child to show you how to enter fractions and mixed
numbers, simplify fractions, and convert between fractions and decimals.
3. Help your child identify advertisements in signs, newspapers, and magazines that use
percents. Help your child find the sale price of an item that is discounted by a certain
percent. For example, a $40 shirt reduced by 25% costs $30.

As You Help Your Child with Homework

As your child brings assignments home, you might want to go over the instructions
together, clarifying them as necessary. The answers listed below will guide you through
this units Study Links.

Study Link 81

1.

3
_
6

19
4. _
20

2.

Study Link 83

2
_
3

5
_
6

1. 11

3. 10

5
6. 6 _
3

4
6. _
7

1
7. 2 _
2

1
9. 2 _
5

4
11. 5 _
9

3.

9
5. _
17

7. Sample answer: The quick common

11 =
denominator is 21 17, or 357. _
21
187
9 = _
9 21 = _
189
11 17 = _
_
, and _
.
21 17
357
17
17 21
357
9
So _
is greater.
17

Copyright Wright Group/McGraw-Hill

8. 0.75

9. 0.
6

10. 0.625

11. 0.7

12. 0.55
13. 0.84
1
1 _
0.25 =
_
14. Sample answer: 8 is half of _
0.125).
4 (
2

5 =_
4 +_
1 =
_
0.5 + 0.125, or 0.625.
8
8
8

15. >

16. =

17. >

18. >

19. >

20. >

1
13. 2 _
4

1
15. _
2

Study Link 84

4 _
1. _
; 155
5 200

1
2. < _
2

1
4. = _
2

1
5. < _
2

6.

6
1

5
6

1
3. > _
2

41
5
6
6
6

Study Link 85

3
1. _
, or _14
12

6
2. _
, or _25
15

6 +_
1 =
1
21. Sample answer: _
1. _
is less than
7
7
8
6 +_
1
1
_
, so _
is less than 1.
7
7
8

Study Link 8 2
2. 2
7. 6
3
13. 9 _
8

2
3. 10 _
3

9. 14
1
15. 8_
4

1
5. 5 _
2
1
11. 5 _
4

1
1
1
1
5. Nina: _
; Phillip: _
; Ezra: _
; Benjamin: _
2
6
6
6

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Unit 8: Family Letter cont.

Study Link 86

Study Link 89

45
3
1. _
; 0.45; 45%; _
; 0.3; 30%
100
10

1
2
2
1. _
_
=_
5
3
15

15
2
_
; 0.2; 20%; _
; 0.15; 15%
10
100

7
7
1
3. _
_
=_
8
3
24

2. Calculated discounts: $100.00; $1,600.00;

$7.84; $0.75; $8.70; $5.28; $810.00; $385.00

10
5
5. _
, or _
18
9

Study Link 810

12
7. _
25
5
9. _
63

1. 4;20

3. 1,200 miles

5. 16 min.

6. yes

11. 9; 3

Study Link 811

Study Link 87

Sample answers for Problems 14:

7.

in ()

Rule

_2

=4

_4
5

_8
9

_5
4

_7
3

8.

out ()
_8
_2
3 or 2 3
16
_
_1
5 , or 3 5
32
_
_5
,
or
3
9
9
20
_
4 , or 5
28
_1
_
,
or
9
3
3

35
14 _
, 28 , _
1. _
16 32 40

6 _
12
2. _
, 9,_
8 12 16

3
1 _
3. _
, 2, _
2 4 6

8
4 _
4. _
, 6, _
6 9 12

3
5. _
8

5
6. _
9

7
7. _
9

7
8. _
12

7
4
9. Sample answer: I changed _
and _
to
10
12

fractions with a common denominator.

35
30 _
7
4
24
1
_
=_
and _
=_
. Because _
=_
, 7
10
60
12
60
2
60 12
5
6
1
4
1
is _
away from _
, and _
is _
away from _
.
60
2
10
60
2
7
1
_
_
So,
is closer to .
12

Rule
 =  _14

in ()

out ()

_1

3
6
_2
3

17
13. _
24

3
14. _
10

Study Link 812

1. a.

2. a.
1 _
b. _
,1
6 6

b. 32, 32

Study Link 8 8


46
11
1. a. _
, or 1_
24
12

10
1
b. _
, or _
4
40

85
13
c. _
, or 3_
24
24

174
7
d. _
, or 7_
24
24

296
14
e. _
, or 4_
60
15

364
1
f. _
, or 9_
40
10

5
2. a. 8_
9

1
b. 5_
2

3. a. 5

5
b. 5_
8

15
1
3. _
, or 7_
2
2

20
4. _
21

11
1
5. _
, or 5_
2
2

60
4
6. _
, or 8_
7
7

7. 5

8. 22

4
9. 3_
5
1
c. 2_
12

1
15. 3_
3

6
3
10. 1_
, or 1_
4
8

5
11. 1_
9

38
3
12. 4_
, or 5_
35
35

5
17
13. 7_
, or 8_
12
12

1
14. 2_
4

9
1
15. 9_
, or 11_
4
4

28
16. _
, or 4
7

Copyright Wright Group/McGraw-Hill

_5

2
_3
4
5
_
24
_1
6

11
11. _
18

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