Fraction Strips

Ways to use it in class

• Which is bigger? Shade 1/3 and 1/4. Students who think 4 beats 3 see the opposite.
• Equivalent fractions. Slide the compare line to the end of 3/4 and read off 6/8 and 9/12.
• Adding fractions. Shade 1/2 and then 1/4 on the quarter strip below it to see why 1/2 + 1/4 = 3/4.
• Fractions, decimals, percentages. Switch the labels to see that 1/4, 0.25 and 25% are the same piece.

Printing a fraction wall

Press Print for a full fraction wall to cut into strips, or set the labels to None for students to label it themselves.

Questions teachers ask

What are fraction strips?

Strips of equal length, each cut into equal parts: one whole, two halves, three thirds and so on. Stacked into a fraction wall, they show the size of each fraction against the same whole, so 1/3 is visibly bigger than 1/4.

How do fraction strips show equivalent fractions?

Fractions are equivalent when their pieces end at the same point. Drag the compare line to a point and the tool lists every fraction that ends there: at one half it shows 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10 and 6/12.

How do I compare two fractions?

Shade both, for example 2/3 and 3/4. The shading that reaches further along the strip is the bigger fraction. Labels can show decimals or percentages too, to connect the three ways of writing them.

What is the difference between a fraction wall and fraction bars?

They are the same thing under different names: fraction strips, fraction bars, fraction tiles and a fraction wall all mean strips of equal length divided into equal parts.