Practice Tests

Chapter 9: Fractions

1. How might you help students understand that a fraction cannot be interpreted without knowing what the whole is?
2. Why is it not a good idea to say to students that to create an equivalent fraction, you do “the same thing” to the numerator as to the denominator?
3. How would you explain to a student why 2/3 > ½ without using a common denominator?
4. Some students believe that since you use common denominators to add or subtract fractions, you must also use them to multiply or divide. How would you respond to this comment by a student?
5. a) How would you explain why you invert and multiply to divide fractions?
   b) Why might that not be the first algorithm you teach?
6. Why might a fraction of a whole model be more appropriate than a fraction of a set model to add fractions with different denominators?
7. What do students have to know about equivalence of fractions in order to divide fractions meaningfully?
8. How can you help students understand why ¾ x 4/5 has to be between 2/5 and 4/5 without actually performing the calculation?