Fractions of amounts practice
Finding a fraction of an amount is two small steps: divide by the bottom number, then multiply by the top. Noggli practises it one level at a time, from a half of 6 to working back to the whole.
What your child practises
- Year 2find a half or a quarter of an amount
- Year 3find a unit fraction of an amount
- Year 4find a non-unit fraction of an amount
- Year 5find fractions of amounts with larger denominators
- Year 6find the whole from a fractional part
Mix-ups Noggli looks out for
- Finds one part of a fraction but forgets to multiply by the top number
How to find a fraction of an amount
Divide the amount by the denominator (the bottom number) to find one part, then multiply by the numerator (the top number) to find how many parts you need. For 3/4 of 24: 24 ÷ 4 = 6, then 6 × 3 = 18.
Unit fractions, where the top number is 1, only need the first step. That is why children usually meet 1/2, 1/4 and 1/3 of an amount first, and non-unit fractions like 2/3 or 3/5 a year or so later.
Where it fits in the curriculum
Children find halves and quarters of small amounts in Year 2, unit fractions in Year 3 and non-unit fractions in Year 4. By Year 6 they work backwards: if 2/3 of a number is 24, what is the number? It comes up in SATs arithmetic and reasoning papers every year.
Helping at home
- Use real things: share 12 grapes into 4 bowls, then count what is in 3 of the bowls.
- Say both steps out loud: "divide by the bottom, times by the top".
- If the answer is bigger than the amount, something has gone wrong: a fraction less than 1 of 24 must be less than 24.
Made for children who worry about getting it wrong
A clue, not a cross
A wrong answer gets a clue and another go. A second miss shows how it works, step by step.
No clock
Nothing counts down. Confidence first, speed follows on its own.
The right level
After a few questions Noggli knows where your child is, and every question after that adapts.
Related practice
Questions parents ask
What is a fraction of an amount?
It means a part of a number or quantity, such as 3/4 of 24. You divide by the bottom number to find one part, then multiply by the top number. 3/4 of 24 is 18.
What year do children learn fractions of amounts?
Halves and quarters of amounts start in Year 2. Unit fractions follow in Year 3, non-unit fractions in Year 4, and finding the whole from a part is a Year 6 skill.
Why does my child get 6 instead of 18 for 3/4 of 24?
That is the most common slip: finding one quarter (6) and stopping. Noggli spots this and gives a clue about the top number, rather than just marking it wrong.
Practise this every day, at the right level
Noggli works out where your child is in every topic and adjusts each question to suit. Free, with no timers, no scores and no child accounts.