Fractions on number lines

Fractions on number lines

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about placing fractions on a number line.

a) Place the 3 fractions in the box below in correct place on the number line below.

 

 

 

 

b) \(4 \over 5\) is a fraction between \(1 \over 2\) and 1. This fraction has been placed on the number line below. Write each of the fractions in the box below onto the number line in the correct places.

 

 

Task administration: 
This task is completed with pencil and paper only.
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Maths, Number and Algebra, Number Strategies
Keywords: 
fractions, number lines, fractions as measures
Description of task: 
Students place fractional numbers in the correct order on a number line.
Answers/responses: 
    Y8 (05/03)
a)  7/12
2/3
3/4

 		 1 mark
1 mark
1 mark 		 difficult
difficult
difficult
b)   2/10
5/10 (half way between 4th and 5th marks on the number line)
7/10 (half way between 4th and 5th marks on the number line)
 1 mark
1 mark
1 mark		 easy
very difficult
very difficult
Total 6 marks
Based on a representative sample of 213 Year 8 students in May 2003.
Diagnostic and formative information: 
  Common response Likely misconception
a)

b)

 2/3 placed on the 2nd mark
3/4 placed on the 3rd mark
2/10 placed on the 2nd mark		 Not understanding the relationship between the top and bottom numbers of the fraction.
Students are only using the numerator to indicate the fraction – ignoring the denominator.

Other resources
For similar ARB resources about fractions on number lines, click on the link or use the keywords, fractions AND number lines.