Are your students struggling with fractions equivalent to whole numbers? If so, this hands-on math activity will help your students see how an improper fraction can be equivalent to a whole number.

A free printable is included for you to use with your guided math groups.

The Importance of Drawing Area Models

It’s important for students to know that a fraction is a number you can find on a number line.

Draw a number line that shows 0, 1, and 2. Discuss where you should plot 1/2.

• Let’s look at the improper fraction 2/2.
• The bottom number is 2. This means the whole is cut into two equal pieces (halves).
• The top number is 2, so we are counting two-halves.
• After shading two-halves, you see that the whole circle is shaded. Two-halves is equivalent to 1.
• You would plot 2/2 at the same location as the whole number 1.

I created a printable for your students to practice writing fractions as whole numbers. Two versions are included.

Version one has the shapes partitioned for them. They simply need to shade the number of pieces to figure out which whole number the fraction is equivalent to.

Version two is a bit more time consuming, because students will need to partition the circles. Still, this version is more beneficial. It helps students understand that the bottom number is how many equal pieces the whole is partitioned into.

Use Fraction Circles or Fraction Strips

Students love working with manipulatives. Students can complete the printable above using fraction circles or fraction strips.

The example below shows 12 sixths. Students then combine the equal pieces to see how many whole circles they can make. In this example, twelve-sixths is equivalent to 2.

It’s fun to use math manipulates, but it’s also important for students to record their work. They don’t necessarily need to draw circles. Students can draw rectangles or squares to show their area models. 

Use Pattern Blocks!

• You could place a hexagon as the whole.
• A rhombus would be…. 1/3 of the whole.
• What would 12/3 look like? 
• 12/3 would create 4 hexagons 🙂

• You could place a hexagon as the whole.
• a triangle would be…. 1/6 of the whole.
• What would 12/6 look like?
• 12/6 would create 2 hexagons.

• You could place a rhombus as the whole
• a triangle would be…. 1/2 of the whole.
• What would 6/2 look like?
• 6/2 would create 3 rhombi 

Download the FREE Math Printable