Halves and Quarters
This topic covers 2 learning steps, guiding your child from the basics through to confident problem-solving. Each step includes a worked example and adaptive practice questions.
What Your Child Will Learn
- Half of Numbers
Find half of small even numbers - Quarter of Numbers
Find a quarter of small numbers
Common Mistakes
- Thinking fractions are always about cutting shapes (not realising you can find a fraction of a number or quantity)
Practise finding fractions of amounts: "Find half of 12 sweets" or "Find a quarter of 20 stickers." Use real objects to share equally into groups. - Thinking a quarter is bigger than a half because 4 > 2
More parts means SMALLER pieces. Cut a pizza into 2 — big slices. Cut it into 4 — smaller slices. A quarter is smaller than a half because you split it into more pieces.
Tips for Parents
- Cut sandwiches, fruit, and pizza into halves and quarters. Ask "Which piece is bigger — the half or the quarter?"
- Pour water into glasses: fill one halfway, another a quarter. Which has more? This makes fractions physical.
- Share sweets equally: "12 sweets between 2 people — how many each? That's half of 12." Then try 4 people for quarters.
- Fold paper into halves and quarters. Open it up and count the sections. This visual approach clicks for many children.
Key Words
- Half (½) — One of two equal parts — half of 10 is 5.
- Quarter (¼) — One of four equal parts — a quarter of 12 is 3.
- Equal parts — Parts that are all the same size.
- Fraction — A part of a whole — like ½ or ¼.
- Whole — The complete amount before splitting into parts.
Where This Fits
Before this topic: Children should understand equal sharing and be comfortable halving numbers to 20.
After this topic: Halves and quarters lead to thirds, fifths, and tenths in Year 3, then equivalent fractions and fraction arithmetic.
How MathCraft Teaches This
In MathCraft, Halves and Quarters is taught through the Number & Fractions adventure track. Your child follows guided lessons with friendly characters, works through examples step by step, then practises with questions that adapt to their level.
The adaptive engine tracks mastery across all 2 steps, revisiting concepts your child finds tricky and advancing when they're ready. Parents can see detailed progress in the Parent Dashboard.
Practise Halves and Quarters with MathCraft
Step-by-step lessons, worked examples, and adaptive practice — all wrapped in an adventure game your child will love.
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