Best Tips & Tricks for Fractions Homework

When it comes to working with fractions, you can never have enough tricks up your sleeve.  Whether it is a way to help your students remember the correct order of several steps to solve a confusing problem, or just a trick that provides a less complicated way of doing things, we’ve got you covered!

Cross Multiply UP

Trick to Use for Comparing Fractions 

Students learn how to compare fractions beginning in the 3rd grade and this skill is also a significant part of the 4th grade curriculum.  They learn several different strategies to compare fractions under different circumstances, but there is one strategy that is simple, easy to remember and can be used to compare any two fractions: Cross Multiply Up!  You can see this strategy (and others) in action along with step-by-step instructions on how to use it in our FREE Ultimate Guide to 3rd Grade Fractions.

The Butterfly Method

Use this Trick to Add and Subtract Fractions That Do Not Have the Same Denominators

In 5th grade students learn to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. They learn how to solve these problems by renaming the fractions as fractions with common denominators (which is an extremely important strategy to learn and master).  However, when the fractions of these problems contain numerators and denominators that are 12 or less, the Butterfly Method is a cool shortcut to arrive at the same answer.  You can use this trick on fractions with numerators and denominators greater than 12, however doing so usually results in much larger answers that are harder for students to put in simplest form.  We provide all you need to know about the Butterfly Method along with how to solve these problems by finding common denominators in our FREE Ultimate Guide to 5th Grade Fractions.

Keep, Change, Flip (KCF)

Remember this Saying or Acronym to Help You Divide Fractions

Students begin to learn how to divide fractions in 5th grade usually with dividing a whole number by a fraction or a fraction by a whole number.  In 6th grade they expand this skill and learn how to solve problems dividing different combinations of fractions and mixed numbers.  Students are taught that when dividing by a fraction, to solve the problem by using reciprocals or multiplicative inverses. This translates into multiplying the dividend by the reciprocal of the divisor. Make sense? Maybe, but a much EASIER way to say this is Keep, Change, Flip!  Keep the first term the same, Change the division symbol to a multiplication symbol, and Flip the second term.  We have explained this strategy and others in detail along with guided example problems in our FREE Ultimate Guide to 5th Grade Fractions AND our FREE Ultimate Guide to 6th Grade Fractions.  You're welcome :-) 

Divisibility Rules

Use These Hacks to Help You Simplify Fractions That Have Larger Numbers for the Numerator and Denominator

Usually in 4th grade students are introduced to a set of Divisibility Rules to help them identify factors of larger numbers. For example, do you know if you can evenly divide 270 by 6?  or is 834 divisible by 3 or 8?  If you know these rules or have them on hand to reference, you can easily answer these questions.  In 4th, 5th and 6th grades, students are required to write fractions in simplest form using division.  If they have a fraction such as 468/30 that they are trying to put in simplest form, finding the largest number that they can divide both 468 and 30 by can seem very intimidating.  Check out how these divisibility rules provide a simple solution for a complicated task in our FREE Ultimate Guide to 5th Grade Fractions AND our FREE Ultimate Guide to 6th Grade Fractions.

Congratulations! You are now officially going to be a lifesaver to your student that may be struggling with one or more of these fraction skills.  That is part of our hope at Ignite Learning Company: to help YOU help THEM. If your student needs more help with fractions, check out these other great fractions resources:

• Fractions Unlocked: Introduction to Fractions - This online virtual tutoring program is all about helping students build a solid foundation for working with fractions - from shapes, number lines, sets, and problem solving. Perfect for 3rd & 4th graders, students will build concrete skills & gain confidence around using fractions.
• Fractions Unlocked 2: Expanding Fraction Skills - From simplest form & common denominators to adding, subtracting & multiplying fractions, this program helps students gain a strong understanding of essential fraction skills they will use over and over again - in 4th & 5th grade and beyond. 
• FREE Fraction Strips Printable - These colorful math manipulatives provide a great way to help students compare fractions, find equivalent fractions, divide fractions, or solve problems with fractions. Download your free fraction strips printable and help your student develop a solid understanding of fractions!