Prior knowledge.

• Basic multiplication facts
• Simplify fractions using a range of strategies 

Background

Students should have already met the key strategies for simplifying fractions, and be using this worksheet as a means of practising and extending their skills.

Comments on the Exercises

Exercise 1
Asks students to simplify fractions and explain the method they use. Students need to have been introduced to the standard strategies for simplifying fractions, recognising doubles, repeated halving, recognising common factors, and prime factorising. Understanding about prime numbers (and that finding one means only one potentially useful factor can be found) is also important prior learning.

Exercise 2
Asks students to explore whether to simplify first, then convert to a mixed number or if it is easier to convert to a mixed number then simplify.

Exercise 3
Asks students to simplify a list of improper fractions.

Exercise 4
Asks students to complete simplifying fraction questions by putting the missing number in a box. The use of the box introduces a curriculum level 3 algebra aspect to the exercise. The first problems are of a similar format, and encourage the use of the “look for a common factor” strategy. The later problems with an asterisk require a different process. Firstly, one of the fractions is not in the simplest form, which requires students to calculate and “hold” the simplified number mentally then use this to work out the missing number. This is more of a proportional reasoning approach and is higher-level thinking than straightforward simplifying.