Fractions – Class 5 Maths Chapter 2 Notes & NCERT PDF

Class 5MathematicsChapter 2NCERT book: Maths Mela - Mathematics Class 5

Notes and a simple summary of Chapter 2 of the NCERT Class 5 Mathematics book, with the official chapter PDF, flashcards, an MCQ quiz and an AI tutor for your doubts.

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Chapter 2: Fractions

Introduction

Tamanna has two chocolates of different sizes. She says ½ of one chocolate is bigger than ⅓ of the other. Is she right? It depends on the chocolates! The chapter's first big lesson:

To compare two fractions, the wholes must be the same.

Then we play with grids, a fraction kit, parathas, pizzas and number lines to learn equivalent fractions, comparing fractions and fractions greater than 1.

Key Ideas

1. Equivalent fractions

Shade ⅙ of a grid and 2/6 of it is the same as ⅓. Fractions that show the same part of a whole with different names are equivalent fractions.

Gurpreet's fraction kit: one ½ piece = two ¼ pieces, so ½ = 2/4.

Sameer divides ⅓ of shapes into more parts: 1/3 = 2/6 = 3/9 = 4/12.

Similarly 2/5 = 4/10 = 20/50 = 40/100.

Multiply the top and bottom by the same number to get an equivalent fraction.

2. Comparing — same denominator

Sevi ate ⅓ of a chikki and Shami ate ⅔. Two pieces of ⅓ are more than one piece, so ⅔ > ⅓ — Shami ate more.

3. Comparing — same numerator

Sevi ate 4/5 paratha, Shami ate 4/6. A ⅙ piece is smaller than a ⅕ piece, so 4/6 < 4/5. With the same numerator, the bigger denominator gives the smaller fraction.

4. Fractions greater than 1

Raman's father cuts parathas into halves or fourths.

Maa takes 5 half pieces: 5/2 = 2 + ½ = 2½ parathas.

Radhika takes 6 halves: 6/2 = 3 parathas.

Dadiji takes 9 fourths: 9/4 = 2¼ parathas.

We can show these on a number line by marking halves or fourths beyond 1.

5. Using 1 and ½ as benchmarks

7/8 is less than 1 and 8/6 is more than 1, so 7/8 < 8/6.

3/6 is exactly half, but 5/8 is more than half, so 5/8 > 3/6.

Worked Examples

Fill in: 1/3 = ?/36 → 3 × 12 = 36, so 1 × 12 = 12 → 12/36.

Compare 3/8 and 3/7 → same numerator; eighths are smaller than sevenths, so 3/8 < 3/7.

Pizza story: 2 pizzas cut into 3 slices each. Dadiji and Dadaji give their slices to Raman → Raman has 3/3 = 1 whole pizza. He gives one slice to Radhika, who already had 3/3, so Radhika has 4/3 = 1⅓ pizzas.

Parathas in fourths: Raman 7/4 = 1¾, Radhika 6/4 = 1½, Maa 8/4 = 2, Dadiji 10/4 = 2½, Baba 12/4 = 3. Total = 43/4 = 10¾ parathas.

Ants in a line: one ant is ¼ cm long, so 16 ants = 16/4 = 4 cm.

Maths Words

Fraction (भिन्न)

Numerator (अंश)

Denominator (हर)

Equivalent fractions (तुल्य भिन्न)

Whole (पूर्ण)

Half (आधा), Quarter/One-fourth (चौथाई)

Number line (संख्या रेखा)

Greater than / Less than (से बड़ा / से छोटा)

Maths in Daily Life

Sharing chikki, cutting parathas and pizzas, measuring ribbon in half metres, and reading "½ kg" on packets all use fractions.

Common Mistakes

Thinking 4/6 > 4/5 because 6 > 5. With equal numerators, smaller pieces mean a smaller fraction.

Comparing fractions of different-sized wholes, like Tamanna's chocolates.

Changing only the numerator or only the denominator when making equivalent fractions.

Forgetting that 6/2 is a whole number (3).

Practice Tips

Use the fraction kit at the back of the book to check every answer.

To circle fractions greater than 1, check if the numerator is bigger than the denominator.

To check for "half", see if the denominator is double the numerator (5/10, 7/14, 8/16).

💡 Key Learning Points

✓Fractions can only be compared when they are parts of the same whole
✓Equivalent fractions name the same part: 1/3 = 2/6 = 3/9 = 4/12
✓With the same denominator, the bigger numerator is bigger; with the same numerator, the bigger denominator is smaller
✓Fractions like 5/2 and 9/4 are greater than 1 and can be written as 2½ and 2¼
✓1 and ½ are useful benchmarks for comparing fractions quickly

👨‍🏫 Teaching Tips

→Show two chocolates or rotis of different sizes and ask whether ½ of the small one can be less than ⅓ of the big one
→Let groups make a whole in many ways with the fraction kit and record equivalent fractions
→Fold paper strips into halves, fourths and eighths to see ½ = 2/4 = 4/8
→Act out Raman's family meal with paper parathas cut into halves and fourths, then mark each share on a number line
→Play 'Is it more than half?' — show a fraction card, children stand if it is more than ½
→Use the pizza story to practise adding thirds beyond one whole
→Draw a floor number line from 0 to 3 and let children hop in quarters

📋 Assessment Questions

Can the child find two fractions equivalent to 2/5?
Can the child explain why 4/6 < 4/5 using pieces of the fraction kit?
Can the child write 9/4 as a mixed number and show it on a number line?
Can the child compare 7/8 and 8/6 using 1 as a benchmark?
Can the child circle fractions equal to ½ from a list?

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