Explore benchmark reasoning and fraction skills through estimation,
number lines, and comparing fractions.
5.NF Review · Fractions & Reasoning
Level
Guided practice with vocabulary support
🟠 Level 0 — Extra Support
Watch first: the worked example and hints are already shown for you.
One at a time: answer one question, check it, then go on.
Read aloud: press 🔊 Read aloud, then click any sentence to hear it.
Sentence starters: “First, I…” · “The answer is… because…” · “I know this because…”
W
Warm-Up
2 questions
Warm-Up 1
Which fraction is closest to 1 on a number line?
Benchmark thinking: A
benchmark is a familiar number like 0, 1/2,
or 1. Think about which fraction is nearest to 1 whole.
✓Correct! 7/8 is only 1/8 away from 1 — closer than any other
choice.
✗Think about distance from 1. 7/8 is only 1/8 away from 1 whole. The
answer is D.
Warm-Up 2
Is 3/5 greater than, less than, or equal to 1/2?
Hint: Compare to the benchmark 1/2. Half of 5 is 2.5.
Since the numerator 3 is more than 2.5, what does that tell you?
✓Correct! 3/5 > 1/2 because 3 is more than half of 5. Nice benchmark
reasoning!
✗Half of 5 is 2.5, and 3 > 2.5, so 3/5 is
greater than 1/2.
P
Practice
5 questions
Practice 1
Which symbol makes this statement true? 2/3 ___ 3/4
Strategy: Find a
common denominator. 2/3 = 8/12 and 3/4 =
9/12. Now compare the numerators.
How did you compare?
Sentence frame: "I know 2/3 is ___ 3/4 because when I use a common
denominator, ___ is ___ than ___."
✓Correct! 2/3 = 8/12 and 3/4 = 9/12. Since 8 < 9, we know 2/3 <
3/4.
✗Use common denominators: 2/3 = 8/12 and 3/4 = 9/12. Since 8/12 <
9/12, the answer is B (less than).
Practice 2
What is 1/2 + 1/4?
Strategy: To add fractions, find a
common denominator. 1/2 = 2/4. Now add: 2/4
+ 1/4 = ?
Show your steps:
Sentence frame: "I renamed 1/2 as ___. Then I added ___ + 1/4 =
___."
✓Correct! 1/2 = 2/4, and 2/4 + 1/4 = 3/4.
✗Rename 1/2 as 2/4. Then 2/4 + 1/4 = 3/4. The answer is
C.
Practice 3
Sort each fraction: is it closer to 0, closer to 1/2, or closer to 1?
Benchmark strategy: Compare each fraction to the
benchmarks 0, 1/2, and 1. Is the numerator very small compared to the
denominator (close to 0)? About half (close to 1/2)? Almost equal
(close to 1)?
1/10
4/9
9/10
5/8
2/15
11/12
Close to 0
Close to 1/2
Close to 1
✓All correct! 1/10 and 2/15 are near 0; 4/9 and 5/8 are near 1/2;
9/10 and 11/12 are near 1.
✗Some fractions are in the wrong group. Think: is the numerator tiny
(near 0), about half the denominator (near 1/2), or almost equal
(near 1)?
Practice 4
Find each sum or difference. Simplify if possible.
Remember: Use common denominators to add or subtract
fractions. Simplify your answer if the numerator and denominator share
a common factor.
a. 3/8 + 2/8 =
b. 4/5 − 1/5 =
c. 1/3 + 1/6 =
Sentence frame: "To add ___ and ___, I used a common denominator of
___. My answer is ___."
Mia ate 1/3 of a pizza. Her brother ate 1/4 of the same pizza. How
much of the pizza did they eat altogether?
Strategy: Add 1/3 + 1/4. The common denominator of 3
and 4 is 12. So 1/3 = 4/12 and 1/4 = 3/12. Now add.
Show your work:
Sentence frame: "1/3 = ___/12 and 1/4 = ___/12. Together they ate
___/12 of the pizza."
✓Correct! 1/3 = 4/12 and 1/4 = 3/12. So 4/12 + 3/12 = 7/12 of the
pizza. Great exploring!
✗Use 12 as the common denominator: 1/3 = 4/12, 1/4 = 3/12. The total
is 4/12 + 3/12 = 7/12 (B).
★
Challenge
1 question
Challenge
Marcus says that 2/5 + 1/3 = 3/8 because he added the numerators and
the denominators. Is Marcus correct? Find the actual sum and explain
his mistake.
Think about it: Can you add fractions by just adding
the tops and bottoms separately? Try finding a common denominator
instead: 2/5 = ?/15 and 1/3 = ?/15.
Explain Marcus's mistake:
Sentence frame: "Marcus added the numerators and denominators
separately, but you must use a ___. The correct answer is ___."
✓Correct! 2/5 = 6/15 and 1/3 = 5/15. So 6/15 + 5/15 = 11/15. You
cannot just add tops and bottoms!
✗Use a common denominator of 15: 2/5 = 6/15, 1/3 = 5/15. The sum is
6/15 + 5/15 = 11/15 (C).