Fractions: Halves, Thirds, and Fourths — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. A circle is divided into 4 equal parts. One part is shaded. What fraction is shaded?
A) 12
B) 13
C) 14
D) 24
The circle has 4 equal parts and only 1 is shaded, so 1 out of 4 parts is shaded, which is 14.
2. Which fraction is the largest?
A) 14
B) 13
C) 12
D) 15
When the same whole is divided into fewer pieces, each piece is bigger, and 12 splits the whole into just 2 parts, making it the largest of these fractions.
3. A rectangle is divided into 3 equal parts. Two parts are shaded. What fraction is shaded?
A) 13
B) 23
C) 33
D) 12
The rectangle has 3 equal parts and 2 of them are shaded, so the shaded amount is 2 out of 3 equal parts, written as 23.
4. Which shape shows one-half shaded?
A) A circle with 1 of 4 parts shaded
B) A square with 1 of 2 parts shaded
C) A rectangle with 1 of 3 parts shaded
D) A triangle with no parts shaded
One-half means a shape is split into 2 equal parts with 1 part shaded, which matches the square with 1 of 2 parts shaded.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. If 1 out of 3 equal parts is colored, the fraction is 13.
When 1 part out of 3 equal parts is colored, the fraction has 1 on top and 3 on the bottom, giving 13.
2. Three-thirds of a shape equals one whole.
Three thirds means all 3 of the 3 equal parts are counted, which puts the whole shape back together as one whole.
3. One-half of 12 is 6.
Splitting 12 into 2 equal groups gives 12 ÷ 2 = 6 in each group, so one-half of 12 is 6.
4. One-fourth of 4 is 1.
One-fourth of 4 means dividing 4 into 4 equal groups, and 4 ÷ 4 = 1 in each group.
5. A shape with 2 equal parts that are both shaded shows 22.
When both of the 2 equal parts are shaded, all of the shape is covered, so the fraction shaded is 22, which equals one whole.