Fractions and percentages of amounts
Term 2 starting in week 6 :: Estimated time: 1 weeks
- Find a fraction of a given amount
- Use a given fraction to find the whole and/or other fractions
- Find a percentage of a given amount using mental methods
- Find a percentage of a given amount using a calculator
For higher-attaining pupils:
- Solve problems with fractions greater than 1 and percentages greater than 100%
This page should remember your ticks from one visit to the next for a period of time. It does this by using Local Storage so the information is saved only on the computer you are working on right now.
Activities for pupils
Here are some related resources in alphabetical order. Some may only be appropriate for high-attaining learners while others will be useful for those in need of support. Click anywhere in the grey area to access the resource.
Visualise Percentages If you can picture in your mind what a percentage looks like you may be better able to preform mental calculations.
Percentages In Your Head Video It is really useful to have some mental strategies for working out percentages in your head.
Fractions by Wholes An exercise on multiplying and dividing proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers.
Percentages Quiz A multi-level quiz on finding percentages. The lower level questions can be done mentally while the highest level questions require a calculator.
Fraction of ... Practise your ability to find a fraction of a given amount with this self marking exercise.
Fractions Decimals Percentages Revise the methods for converting fractions to decimals and percentages.
Fraction Percentage Match the fraction with the equivalent percentage. A drag and drop self marking exercise.
Fraction Percentage Pairs The traditional pairs or Pelmanism game adapted to test knowledge of simple fractions and their equivalent percentages.
Improper Fractions A self-marking online exercise on converting improper fractions to mixed numbers and vice versa.
Fractions, Decimals, Percentages An exercise on converting fractions to decimals, decimals to percentages and percentages to fractions.
Estimating Percentages Estimate the percentages represented by the diagrams.
Fractions Decimals Percentages Video A reminder of the quick methods of converting between fractions, decimals and percentages.
Click on a topic below for suggested lesson Starters, resources and activities from Transum.
- Fractions A fraction is a part of a number. Fractions are either vulgar or decimal. Vulgar fractions can be proper, improper or mixed. Equivalent fractions have the same value. Pupils, at all stages of their learning, should practise using fractions. From dealing with halves, the most basic fraction, to manipulating algebraic fractions containing surds, this topic is always relevant. Proficiency also depends on reasonable numeracy skills particularly the multiplication tables and finding the lowest common multiple of two numbers. Pupils also need to be able to convert vulgar fractions to decimals and percentages and vice versa. Be wary of teaching the 'rules' for manipulation fractions by rote. Pupils need to understand the reason why and the time-honoured key to understanding starts with the imaginary pizza and the much-used fraction wall.
- Percentages Percentages provide a useful and common way to express a part of a quantity. The word is derived from the Latin per centum meaning “by the hundred”. Although percentages are usually used to express numbers between zero and one, any ratio can be expressed as a percentage. Pupils begin working with common percentages such as 50%, 25% and 10% and practise estimating percentages to get a better understanding of the concept. They then learn how to convert percentages to decimals and vulgar fractions and vice versa. More advanced problem solving may include percentage change and how it is applied in real life to discounts and interest. A study of the use of percentages in the media can provide many discussion points and can provide a stimulus for classroom display work.
Lesson Starters
Here are some suggestions for whole-class, projectable resources which can be used at the beginnings of each lesson in this block.
1st Lesson
Quick Percentages
Simple percentage questions appear on screen then fade every 8 seconds. This Starter is customisable.
2nd Lesson
Odd Percent Out
A number of simple percentage calculations are given. The answers are in pairs. Which is the odd one out?
3rd Lesson
In Your Head
Here are the simple percentage calculations everyone should be able to do in their heads.
Some of the Starters above are to reinforce concepts learnt, others are to introduce new ideas while others are on unrelated topics designed for retrieval practice or and opportunity to develop problem-solving skills.
