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Math charts · 3rd and 4th grade

Free printable

Fraction strips show one whole bar cut into equal parts: halves, thirds, quarters and smaller. Lined up together they show at a glance that 2/4 is the same as 1/2, and that 1/3 is bigger than 1/4.

3 versions below · color or ink saver · CCSS 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3, 4.NF.A.2

How to use fraction strips

  1. 1Cut and keep the whole. Cut along the dashed lines. Keep the whole strip on top so every other strip can be matched against it.
  2. 2Find equal fractions. Lay two quarter pieces under one half. They are the same length, so 2/4 = 1/2.
  3. 3Compare unit fractions. Put 1/3 and 1/6 side by side. The more pieces the whole is cut into, the smaller each piece.
  4. 4Make one whole. How many eighths fill the whole strip? Children find that 8/8 = 1.

More math for 3rd and 4th grade

Common questions

What are fraction strips?

Fraction strips are bars of the same length, each split into a different number of equal parts. They help children see and compare fractions.

What is the difference between a fraction chart and fraction strips?

A fraction chart, or fraction wall, shows all the strips stacked on one page. Fraction strips are cut apart so children can move them and line them up.

How do fraction strips show equivalent fractions?

Equivalent fractions take up the same length. One half lines up with two quarters, three sixths and four eighths.

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