Understanding fractions can be challenging for most students and is often one of the harder subjects to learn.
Most students think of things as one “whole,” so fractions may not make much initial sense. To help students learn this concept more clearly, it helps to use a visual fraction calculator.
This is especially true since 65% of people are visual learners.
Visual calculators can help students picture what a fraction is. To help you learn more about this concept, here is everything you need to know.
What Is a Visual Fraction Calculator?
A visual fraction calculator creates a conceptual understanding of what a fraction represents. Without this understanding, students struggle to understand how fractions fit into the world.
This creates difficulty when trying to solve more complex math problems.
This is particularly true for word problems and when dealing with math problems where the divisor is larger than the dividend.
There are several types of visual fraction calculators that you can use. This includes printable fraction strips or visual models. You can find other helpful variations of a fraction calculator online.
Different Ways to Use Visual Fraction Calculators
A visual fraction model is one that you can either draw or create on a computer. It visually depicts fractions by dividing a circle or “pie” into slices. The circle or pie represents one whole, and each piece is a fraction of that whole.
You can use these models to calculate fractions, multiply fractions, or create additional pies. This helps students to see how the slices divide and come together.
You can also use physical fraction strips to visualize dividing and multiplying fractions. You can provide each student with a strip and cut the strip into unit fractions. You can have the students rearrange the pieces and combine strips with other students to visualize.
The Importance of Visual Fraction Calculators
Students need to understand what the numerators and denominators represent to understand fractions. It can be easier to know when you can visualize it using these fraction tools. They also help connect fractions to real-world ideas that your students already understand.
You can also monitor their understanding of it. Once they can build their models and calculate them, you’ll know they have a pretty solid understanding.
Now You Know How to Make Learning Fractions Less Complicated
These visual fraction calculators help bring students clarity when first introduced to fractions. Though they won’t learn the concept overnight, these visuals create meaning for students. They make it easier to understand what numerators and denominators actually signify.
Once they’ve gotten ahold of the concept, they can begin practicing and creating their own visual fractions.
When they’re successfully able to explain it to others and mirror it for different equations, you know they’ve gotten the hang of it!
And if you want to learn more creative strategies for teaching math, be sure to check out the rest of our blog. We have a ton of other helpful articles that you’ll love!