Equivalent Fractions

Maths: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 1.4.4

Equivalent Fractions

Sometimes fractions that look different represent the same amount. We call these equivalent fractions.

$Equivalent fractions$

Equivalent fractions

When fractions are the same amount, they are called equivalent.
2 is half of 4, so ²/₄ is the same as ¹/₂.
3 is a third of 9, so ³/₉ is the same as ¹/₃.

$Finding equivalent fractions$

Finding equivalent fractions

To find an equivalent fraction, we can multiply or divide the top (numerator) and bottom (denominator) by the same whole number.

Example

Example

For example. to find equivalent fractions of ¹/₃:
Multiply top and bottom by 2: ⁴/₆.
Multiply top and bottom by 3: ³/₉.
Multiply top and bottom by 4: ⁴/₁₂.

Equivalent Fractions

Equivalent fractions are fractions that have the same value but have different numerators and denominators.

$Equivalent fractions$

Equivalent fractions

The fractions $\large\frac{3}{5}$ and $\large\frac{6}{10}$ are equivalent.
You can tell these fractions are equivalent because they have the same amount of the bar shaded.
The only thing that is different between the bars is how they have been split up.

Are these equivalent?

Are these equivalent?

You can spot equivalent fractions by seeing if you can multiply the numerator (the top number) and the denominator (the bottom number) by the same number to go between the fractions.

Are these equivalent?

Are these equivalent?

You can spot equivalent fractions by seeing if you can multiply the numerator (the top number) and the denominator (the bottom number) by the same number to go between the fractions.

Test yourself on Equivalent Fractions

Which of the following is an equivalent fraction of ¹/₂?
Which of the following is an equivalent fraction of ²/₃?
Which of the following is an equivalent fraction of ¹/₄?
What numerator would make these two fractions equivalent?
What numerator would make these two fractions equivalent?

Practise this topic for free