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Fraction Conversion
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Abstract
Students will learn how to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents using a computer applet and the concept of money.
Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, students will:
- practiced converting fractions to decimals and percents
- understand the numeric value of various equivalent representations simple fractions, decimals, and percents
Standards Addressed:
Student Prerequisites
- Technological: Students must be able to:
- perform basic mouse manipulations such as point, click and drag
- use a browser for experimenting with the activities
Teacher Preparation
Students will need: - access to a browser
- pencil and paper
- scissors
- copies of the coin page print outs
Key Terms
| decimal | Short for the term "decimal fraction", a decimal is another way to represent fractional numbers. The decimal uses place value to express the value of a number as opposed to a fraction that uses a numerator and denominator. |
| fraction | A rational number of the form a/b where a is called the numerator and b is called the denominator |
| percent | A ratio that compares a number to one hundred. The symbol for percent is % |
- Focus and Review
Review prior fraction material. Lead into this lesson by asking: How many people in here like money?
- Objectives
Today we will be working on converting between fractions, decimals, and percents.
- Teacher Input
- Instruct the students to cut out their coins from the coin pages.
- Ask the class how they would see 25 cents written in a store. Have the student who raises his/her hand come write his/her answer on the board.
- Repeat this for 10, 5, and 1 cents.
- Instruct the students to separate their coins into pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters.
- So we represent money using decimals. How many pennies are in a dollar? Count out 100 pennies. Using your pennies tell me:
*What is 1/4 of a dollar?- How did you calculate that?
- Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
- What is that equal to in quarters?
- How did you calculate that?
- Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
- What is that equal to in dimes and nickles?
- How did you calculate that?
- Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
- What is that equal to in dimes, nickles, and, quarters?
- How did you calculate that?
- Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
- What is that equal to in dimes?
- How did you calculate that?
- Can someone write on the board that for the class in decimal form?
- What is that equal to in nickels and quarters?
- Explain to the students that what they are doing is converting from fractions to decimals.
- Show the students how to convert from fractions to decimals by dividing the numerator by the denominator.
- Now ask the students a series of questions about percentages. You can also relate the percentages back to the questions they just answered about different parts of a dollar.
- Show the students how to convert between percents and decimals.
- Guided Practice
Have a mock store set up in the class. In the store have the items on sale for example buy one $1.00 pencil get one 1/2 off. Pass out shopping lists. You will probably want to have several different versions of the list to avoid students clustering at the same stations. Have the students calculate a total for their list. You may want to offer a small reward for those who total up their list correctly.
- Independent Practice
Assign partners and demonstrate how to use Fraction Four. Have the students open the Fraction Four applet and begin playing it with a partner.
- Closure
- Discuss why conversions between fractions, decimals, and percents are important in real life situations.
- Review the steps used to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents.
- Review any new vocabulary.
