MEP Jamaica: STRAND A

UNIT 1 Decimals and Fractions: Teaching Notes

UNIT 1 Decimals and Fractions

Introduction

Teaching Notes

Mathematics as the Italian mathematician, Galileo, observed is 'the language in which the Book of Nature is written'. And as our daily lives come to depend more and more on the control we exert on the world around us, it is ever more important for people to have a deeper understanding for the simple 'grammar' which underpins all mathematics. Colloquial mathematics is limited to addition. Mathematics proper begins with multiplication (and division), and with the associated themes of ratio, fractions and proportion. This unit revises some of the number concepts that have been met before but which might have been problematic, particularly for lower attaining students. For many students, this is a very quick revision unit in which you could use the PowerPoint presentation or Data Sheets to remind them of the facts needed.

Teaching Points
Introduction The first part of this unit focuses on decimals and fractions, topics that students should be familiar with. As with all maths topics though, it should be stressed that there are logical rules to be obeyed at all times and that if these rules are followed there should be no difficulties!

1 ) is both a number in 5 its own right (with a unique place on the number line) and also an operation when written as 'one fifth' of a quantity. As a number it has a decimal equivalent (i.e. 0.2) and fractions, such as
Part of the problem for weaker students may lie in the fact that a fraction (e.g.
2 8 20 , , , etc. 10 40 100

are all equivalent to

1 . 5

It is crucial that all pupils are familiar and confident in moving between fractions, decimals and percentages.

The second part of the unit focuses on negative numbers and operations with them. It stresses the logic of, for example, ( 1) ( 1) = 1 . This is a difficult concept for some students and may well have caused them earlier confusion. It might be tempting (as we have done in the SIM text) to state that this is a RULE, but, as a teacher, you do need to have ways of justifying this. You could use a number line to illustrate, for example, why
5 ( 3) = 8

-6 -5

-4

-3

-2

-1

10

as 8 is the difference between 5 and ( 3) . For multiplication, you could continue the sequence

CIMT and e-Learning Jamaica

MEP Jamaica: STRAND A

UNIT 1 Decimals and Fractions: Teaching Notes

UNIT 1 Decimals and Fractions

5 ( 1) = 5 4 ( 1) = 4 3 ( 1) = 3 2 ( 1) = 2 1 ( 1) = 1 0 ( 1) = 0 1 2 , etc.

Teaching Notes

( 1) ( 1) = ( 2) ( 1) =

Whatever method you use, the real answer is, of course, that it is a rule which is consistent with other rules - but this will not provide the justification that your lower attaining students will find acceptable. The final part of the unit focuses on the use of estimations that should be made to check that calculations made with a calculator are at least of the right order of magnitude. It is easy for us to appreciate when calculator answers are not correct as we have a number sense that provides us with an instant 'feel' for approximately the correct answer. Many students will not have developed this type of number sense and will need help to develop strategies to assist them. The unit also provides help for using a calculator efficiently, particularly with more complex calculations when brackets are used or needed. Language / Notation

Equivalent fraction: it is recommended that fractions should be written as, for example,

4 , and 5 not 4/5. The second version can so easily lead to errors when, for example, multiplying fractions together.

Students should be trained to say "three-quarters" or 'three out of four" or "three divided by four"
rather than "three over four" which shows no operation or relationship between the two numbers.

Estimation, in which appropriate approximations are made to obtain an estimate of an answer to a

numerical calculation.

Rounding to a given number of significant figures or decimal places.

Key Points Fractions and decimals are equivalent ways of representing a number (see chart on following page).

The rules for calculation (multiplication and division) with negative numbers, for example,
3 ( 5) = 15 , ( 3) ( 5) = 15 , etc.

The strategies needed to find approximate answers to calculations when not using a calculator An awareness of how to use a calculator efficiently, particularly when brackets are needed, to
ensure that the correct answer is obtained.

CIMT and e-Learning Jamaica

MEP Jamaica: STRAND A

UNIT 1 Decimals and Fractions: Teaching Notes

UNIT 1 Decimals and Fractions

Fraction
1 10 1 8 1 5 1 4 1 3 1 2 2 3 3 4 1

Teaching Notes

Decimal
0.1

0.125

0.2

0.25

0.3
0.5

0.6
0.75 1.0

Misconceptions 0.666666 on a calculator is NOT the same number as 2 3, how ever many 0s are added Some fractions, for example,
1 1 or , do not have a decimal equivalent that ends, so that 3 7

1 = 0.333... These are recurring decimals. 3

Many low attaining students will write, for example, ( 5) ( 3) = 15 . Students might confuse 'significant figures' and decimal places' and might not realise that these are
two distinct and different concepts (although, at times, they will give the same answer).

CIMT and e-Learning Jamaica