Partitioning Shapes into Halves & Fourths — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Cut a sandwich into 2 equal pieces, each piece is one half.
Two equal pieces of a sandwich means each piece is 1 of 2 equal parts, which is called one half.
2. Cut a pie into 4 equal slices, each slice is one fourth.
When a pie is cut into 4 equal slices, each slice is 1 out of 4 equal parts, so it is one fourth.
3. A fourth is also called a quarter.
"Quarter" is another name for a fourth because both words mean 1 of 4 equal parts, like a quarter coin being 25 of 100 cents.
4. Halves are bigger than fourths of the same shape.
Halves are bigger than fourths because splitting a shape into 2 parts leaves bigger pieces than splitting it into 4.
5. When parts are not the same size, they are not equal.
Parts are only equal when they are the same size, so different sizes mean they are not equal.
6. You need four fourths to make a whole.
Each fourth is 1 of 4 equal parts, so all 4 fourths together rebuild the whole shape.
7. You need two halves to make a whole.
A half is 1 of 2 equal parts, so putting both halves together makes 1 whole shape.
8. Splitting a shape into equal parts is called partitioning.
The math word for cutting a shape into equal parts is partitioning, like partitioning a square into halves or fourths.
9. A circle cut with one straight line has two halves.
One straight line across a circle makes 2 equal parts, and 2 equal parts are always called halves.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
1 half
→ One of 2 equal parts
One of 2 equal parts
1 fourth
→ One of 4 equal parts
One of 4 equal parts
2 halves
→ One whole
One whole
4 fourths
→ One whole shape
One whole shape
1 half matches one of 2 equal parts and 1 fourth matches one of 4 equal parts because the names come from those numbers; 2 halves and 4 fourths both rebuild the whole shape when all pieces are put back together.