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Year 6

Explain how to divide a fraction by a whole number efficiently

I can explain how to divide a fraction by a whole number efficiently.

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Year 6

Explain how to divide a fraction by a whole number efficiently

I can explain how to divide a fraction by a whole number efficiently.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When you divide a fraction by a whole number, you can calculate this efficiently.
  2. When the numerator is a multiple of the divisor, you can unitise to make the calculation easier to manage.
  3. When the numerator is not a multiple of the whole, you can convert the equation to to multiply by a unit fraction.
  4. When you divide a non-unit fraction by a whole number, you notice the denominator is multiplied by the whole number.

Keywords

  • Divisor - The divisor is the number that we divide by. For example, in this equation, 3 is the divisor.

Common misconception

Pupils automatically convert the division equation to multiply by a unit fraction regardless of the calculation.

Many calculations can be managed through developing a sense of fractions. Where pupils have a sense of fractional magnitude, it is often easier to solve these calculations mentally. Continue to encourage representing these equations using model.


To help you plan your year 6 maths lesson on: Explain how to divide a fraction by a whole number efficiently, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Allow pupils to explore fractional magnitude and represent this using decimals as the numerators. Whilst this is not convention to record fractions in this way, it can help pupils reason about the comparative size of fractions or the products they anticipate.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Tick the equivalent multiplication expression for $$ {1} \over {8}$$ ÷ 2
2 × $$ {1} \over {8}$$
Correct answer: $$ {1} \over {8}$$ × $$ {1} \over {2}$$
Correct answer: $$ {1} \over {2}$$ × $$ {1} \over {8}$$
8 × 2
Q2.
Tick the equivalent multiplication expression for $$ {4} \over {5}$$ ÷ 5
5 × $$ {4} \over {5}$$
Correct answer: $$ {4} \over {5}$$ × $$ {1} \over {5}$$
$$ {1} \over {5}$$ × 4
$$ {4} \over {5}$$ × 5
Q3.
Tick the missing number.
An image in a quiz
$$ {1} \over {3}$$
Correct answer: 3
4
31
Q4.
What is the result of $$ {4} \over {6}$$ ÷ 2 =
$$ {8} \over {6}$$
Correct answer: $$ {4} \over {12}$$
$$ {2} \over {6}$$
$$ {1} \over {6}$$
Q5.
Write the divisor.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 3
Q6.
Write the divisor.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 1

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Tick the calculations that are best solved using multiplication.
Correct answer: $$ {1} \over {7}$$ ÷ 2 =
$$ {2} \over {7}$$ ÷ 2 =
Correct answer: $$ {3} \over {7}$$ ÷ 2 =
$$ {4} \over {7}$$ ÷ 2 =
$$ {6} \over {7}$$ ÷ 2 =
Q2.
Tick the calculations that are best solved using division.
$$ {3} \over {5}$$ ÷ 2 =
Correct answer: $$ {4} \over {5}$$ ÷ 2 =
$$ {5} \over {5}$$ ÷ 2 =
Correct answer: $$ {6} \over {5}$$ ÷ 2 =
$$ {7} \over {5}$$ ÷ 2 =
Q3.
Tick the possible solutions for: $$ {6} \over {10}$$ ÷ 3 = ___
$$ {3} \over {10}$$
Correct answer: $$ {2} \over {10}$$
Correct answer: $$ {6} \over {30}$$
$$ {3} \over {6}$$
Q4.
Tick the possible solutions for: $$ {12} \over {15}$$ ÷ 3 = ___
$$ {4} \over {5}$$
Correct answer: $$ {4} \over {15}$$
$$ {12} \over {5}$$
Correct answer: $$ {12} \over {45}$$
Q5.
Tick the equations where the result would be a unit fraction.
Correct answer: $$ {12} \over {12}$$ ÷ 3 =
Correct answer: $$ {4} \over {15}$$ ÷ 4 =
Correct answer: $$ {5} \over {15}$$ ÷ 5 =
$$ {10} \over {15}$$ ÷ 5 =
Q6.
Tick the possible missing numbers.
An image in a quiz
$$ {8} \over {24}$$
Correct answer: $$ {8} \over {12}$$
Correct answer: $$ {4} \over {6}$$
$$ {1} \over {3}$$
$$ {2} \over {6}$$