More parts, smaller pieces: 3rd grade math lesson

What this lesson shows

Fixes a mistake

1/8 is less than 1/4: the same whole cut into more parts.

The worked example

The lesson works this one step by step: 1/8 ○ 1/4. Then your kid tries one like it on paper.

The steps

Same size bars
More parts, smaller pieces
Compare one piece of each

Helping at home

Draw two bars the same size and cut each into its number of equal parts. Shade one part of each and compare the pieces: more parts means smaller pieces.

If your kid gets stuck

Write <, >, or =. Draw two bars the same size first.

Watch it with Lux

With Lux, this lesson is a narrated video and a printed page your kid works on. Then Lux helps with the same math on their own worksheet, one question at a time.

See how Lux works

Standards

Common Core 3.NF.A.1
Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.
Common Core 3.NF.A.3d
Compare two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, or <, and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model.

Matches a standard in all 50 states and DCSee each state's code

Alabama MA19.3.13, MA19.3.15a, MA19.3.15b
Alaska 3.NF.1, 3.NF.3.d
Arizona 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.2.c, 3.NF.A.3.d *
Arkansas 3.NPV.6, 3.NPV.10, 3.NPV.5, 3.NPV.8, 3.NPV.9
California 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Colorado 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
Connecticut 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Delaware 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
District of Columbia 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Florida MA.3.FR.1.1, MA.3.FR.1.2, MA.3.FR.1.3, MA.3.FR.2.1
Georgia 3.NR.4.1, 3.NR.4.3, 3.NR.4.2, 4.NR.4.2
Hawaii 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Idaho 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.2.a, 3.NF.A.3.d
Illinois 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Indiana 4.NS.2, 5.NS.2, 3.NS.2, 3.NS.5
Iowa 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
Kansas 3.NF.1, 3.NF.3.d
Kentucky KY.3.NF.1, KY.3.NF.3.b, KY.3.NF.3.d
Louisiana 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
Maine 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3d
Maryland 3.NOS.F.10.b, 3.NOS.F.11, 3.NOS.F.13.d
Massachusetts 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
Michigan 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Minnesota 3.1.3.1, 3.1.3.2, 3.1.3.3
Mississippi 3.NF.1, 3.NF.3.d
Missouri 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.2.a, 3.NF.A.2.b, 3.NF.A.6, 3.NF.A.7
Montana MT.3.NF.1, MT.3.NF.3.a, MT.3.NF.3.d, MT.3.NF.3.e
Nebraska 3.N.2.b, 3.N.2.c, 3.N.2.f
Nevada 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
New Hampshire 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
New Jersey 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3d
New Mexico 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
New York NY-3.NF.1, NY-3.NF.3.d
North Carolina NC.3.NF.1.a, NC.3.NF.1.b, NC.3.NF.2.a, NC.3.NF.4
North Dakota 3.NO.NF.5
Ohio 3.NF.1, 3.NF.2.b, 3.NF.3.d
Oklahoma 3.N.3.1, 3.N.3.2, 3.N.3.3, 3.N.3.4
Oregon 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Pennsylvania CC.2.1.3.C.1
Rhode Island 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
South Carolina 3.NR.2.2, 3.NR.2.4, 3.NR.2.1, 3.NR.2.6, 3.NR.2.5
South Dakota 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
Tennessee 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3.d
Texas 111.4.b.3.C, 111.5.b.3.A, 111.5.b.3.C, 111.5.b.3.D, 111.5.b.3.E, 111.6.b.3.A, 111.4.b.3.B, 111.5.b.3.B, 111.5.b.3.H
Utah 3.NF.1.a, 3.NF.1.b, 3.NF.3.d
Vermont 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
Virginia 2.NS.3d, 2.NS.3e.i, 2.NS.3e.iii, 3.NS.3a.i, 3.NS.3a.iii, 3.NS.3b, 3.NS.3c, 2.NS.3c, 2.NS.3b, 2.NS.3e.ii, 2.NS.3f, 3.NS.3a.ii, 3.NS.3f, 4.NS.3a, 4.NS.3b, 3.NS.3g
Washington 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.3
West Virginia M.3.15, M.3.16, M.3.17
Wisconsin M.3.NF.A.1, M.3.NF.A.3, M.3.NF.A.2
Wyoming 3.NF.1, 3.NF.3d, 3.NFP.3.D

More parts, smaller pieces