Paper Clip Fraction Number Line

The standard 3.NBT.A. 2 asks students to understand a fraction as a number on the number line This includes:

• Represent a fraction 1/b on a number line diagram by defining the interval from 0 to 1 as the whole and partitioning it into b equal parts. Understand that each part has size 1/b and that the end point of the part based at 0 locates the number 1/b on the number line.
• Represent a fraction a/b on a number line diagram by marking off a lengths 1/b from 0. Understand that the resulting interval has size a/b and that its endpoint locates the number a/b on the number line including values greater than 1.
• Understand a fraction 1/b as a special type of fraction that can be referred to as a unit fraction (e.g. 1/2, 1/4).

Students can practice this with a simple activity using different colored paper clips, a number line and a pencil.

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