Here are two pizzas of the very same size. One is cut into fifths with three slices left; the other is cut into fifths with two slices left.
Hands up: which pizza has more left on it, and how can you tell just by looking?
Take three hands-up answers, not open call-outs. Give five seconds of quiet think-time first.
Listen for pupils saying three slices is more than two — revoice this as the slices are the same size, so more slices means more pizza. That is the seed of today's comparing.
The interactive shows pairs of fraction strips, one comparison at a time. Watch how far each shaded part reaches along the strip. Decide which fraction in each pair is bigger.
Three quarters vs one quarter: same-size parts, so count them. Point along both shaded lengths. Three parts beats one, so 3/4 wins.
Two fifths vs four fifths: parts are equal again. Pause on predict, take one hands-up guess before the reveal. 4/5 reaches further. Draw out: when bottom numbers match, the bigger top number wins.
One half vs one third: the key one, different bottom numbers so parts are not the same size. Counting fails here. Ask why. 1/2 reaches further than 1/3 even though two is smaller than three. The shaded length tells the truth, not the bottom number. Don't move on until they can explain why counting parts fails.
We hold four fractions up against the half strip, one at a time. For each one, decide together: does its shading reach past the halfway mark, or fall short? Then read the strips to confirm.
Half strip stays in view as the gauge; take one hands-up prediction before each reveal, then point along both shaded lengths to settle it aloud.
Three quarters vs one half: reaches well past, so more than one half.
Two fifths vs one half: the pause point. Two-of-five looks like a lot but the shading stops short, so less than one half. Slow down, let them explain why.
Four fifths vs one half: sails past, so more than one half. Contrast with two fifths falling short.
One third vs one half: stops before the strip, so less than one half. Draw out the rule: past it means more than half, short of it means less.
In your maths copy, write these three pairs of fractions, one under the other, and put the correct sign between each pair — more than or less than:
For the last pair, draw a quick bar for each fraction to check which one reaches further before you write the sign.
Walk the room glancing at the signs and the checking bar on the last pair — this is whole-class copybook practice, not marking. Watch for anyone writing 1/3 more than 1/2 because 3 is bigger than 2; point them back to their bar.
Today we work through these comparisons together, each a step harder than the last: one quarter against one half, then three quarters against one half, then two fifths against one half, and finally four fifths against one half. Use the half strip as your gauge and shade each fraction to match.
These are the practice questions — pupils take turns at the board, check each answer, and the class confirms before moving on. Keep the board work brisk rather than over-explaining.
Each challenge shades the two strips so the comparison line settles the answer. The one to slow down on is two fifths against one half — pupils often assume two-of-five beats one-of-two; the shaded length shows it falls just short. Have the class predict before Check on every item.
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