Fraction Number Line

How to use the Fraction Number Lines tool

1. Type a name in “Title on the sheet”, or keep the default, Fraction Number Lines.
2. Pick “What to make”: labeled number lines, a plot task, a write-the-fraction task, or stacked lines.
3. Set “Count by” to the step you want, such as 1/4 (fourths).
4. Set “The line goes from 0 to” to a whole number from 1 to 5.
5. Pick “Fractions bigger than 1”: mixed numbers (1 1/4) or fractions only (5/4).
6. Choose “Labels”: label every tick, fill in the missing labels, or no labels.
7. If you chose filled-in labels, set “How many labels are missing” to about a quarter, half or three quarters.
8. For stacked lines, pick “Labels on the stacked lines”.
9. Set “Number lines on the page” from 1 to 8.
10. Keep “Include answer key” checked if you want one, then click “Print or save as PDF”.

The preview updates as you change settings. Choose US Letter or A4 for paper size before printing. “New worksheet” makes a different sheet with the same settings, and each sheet has a worksheet code under the buttons. The page address stores your settings, so a bookmarked or shared link reopens the same sheet. “Reset settings” restores the defaults.

The lines can count by halves, thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, eighths or tenths.

How do you put fractions on a number line?

Draw a straight line, mark the whole numbers, and split the distance between each pair into equal parts. The bottom number (denominator) tells you how many equal parts make one whole, and the top number (numerator) tells you how many of those parts to count from 0.

For fourths between 0 and 1, the ticks sit at 0, 1/4, 2/4, 3/4 and 1, all the same distance apart. The tool labels each tick with the step’s denominator, so the middle tick reads 2/4 rather than 1/2. This shows children that 2/4 and 1/2 name the same point.

Where is 1/4 on a number line?

On a line from 0 to 1 counted in fourths, 1/4 is the first tick after 0. It sits a quarter of the way from 0 to 1.

Count the parts: four equal steps make one whole, so 1/4 is one step. Because 2/4 is halfway, 1/4 is also halfway between 0 and 2/4.

How do you compare fractions on a number line?

The fraction farther to the right is the larger one. Stacked lines make this easy to see, because every line runs from 0 to 1 and is aligned with the others.

The dashed guides at 0, 1/2 and 1 help you line up equal fractions. 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10 and 6/12 all sit on the same spot. A fraction that falls left of the 1/2 guide, such as 3/8, is less than 1/2. A fraction that falls right of it, such as 5/8, is greater.

What are mixed numbers on a number line?

A mixed number, such as 1 1/4, is a whole number plus a fraction. It marks a point past 1. On a line from 0 to 2 counted in fourths, the tick after 1 is 1 1/4, which is the same point as 5/4.

Here is a plot task with fourths from 0 to 2 and mixed numbers. The dots sit at ticks 7, 2 and 6 out of 8 steps. Tick 7 is 1 3/4, tick 2 is 2/4, and tick 6 is 1 2/4. Choose “Fractions only” if you want the same points written as 7/4, 2/4 and 6/4.

Which fraction number lines suit 3rd and 4th grade?

Labeled lines with halves, thirds or fourths from 0 to 1 are a common starting point, and filling in about a quarter of the labels gives light practice. Lines counted in fifths, sixths, eighths or tenths, with plot or write-the-fraction tasks, ask for more work. Which level suits a class depends on the curriculum, so use these settings as a guide and adjust them to what students have learned.