Table of Content

• Definition of Rational Numbers
• Examples of Rational Numbers
• Teaching Methods for Rational Numbers
• Begin with the basics of rational numbers: Divisions
• What are Appropriate and Inappropriate Fractions.
• Presenting Rational Numbers
• Compare and Order the Rational Numbers:
• Adding and Subtracting of Rational Numbers.
• Multiplying and Dividing the Rational Numbers.
• Visual Methods to Teach Rational Numbers
• Fraction Circles or Pies
• Number Lines
• Interactive Activities
• FAQs on Rational Numbers

Type of Rational Number	Example	Explanation
Positive Integers	3	An integer greater than zero.
Negative Integers	-5	An integer less than zero.
Positive Fractions	3/4	A fraction where both the numerator and denominator are positive.
Negative Fractions	-2/3	A fraction where the numerator is negative and the denominator is positive, or vice versa.
Mixed Numbers	2 1/2	A combination of an integer and a fraction.
Terminating Decimals	0.75	A decimal that has a finite number of digits.
Repeating Decimals	0.666…	A decimal where one or more digits repeat infinitely.

Teaching Methods for Rational Numbers

We can deploy following tips in similar order to teach about rational number to kids of any age.

Begin with the basics of rational numbers: Divisions

Start by guaranteeing students have a strong comprehension of fractions. Use visual guides like pie diagrams or portion bars to show how divisions address portions of an entirety.

Example: Show that 1/2 means one part out of two equal parts of a whole.

What are Appropriate and Inappropriate Fractions.

Appropriate parts have numerators less than denominators (e.g. 3/4). Improper parts have numerators bigger than or equivalent to denominators (e.g. 5/4). Tell the students that the best way to switch Improper fractions over completely to mixed numbers, which comprise an entire number and a fractional part.

Example: [Tex]5/4 = 1\frac{1}{4}[/Tex], [Tex]11/7 = 1\frac{4}{7}[/Tex], [Tex]13/5 = 2\frac{3}{5}[/Tex], etc.

Presenting Rational Numbers

Make sense of that rational numbers can include both positive and negative fractions, as well as entire numbers. Use a number line to represent this idea.

Compare and Order the Rational Numbers:

Show the students how to look at and request normal numbers by tracking down a shared factor or changing them to decimals.

Example: To compare between 2/3 and 3/4 we can convert it to a common denominator (12):

2/3 = 8/12 and 3/4 = 9/12

We can do it this way because:

8/12 < 9/12 or 2/3 < 3/4

Adding and Subtracting of Rational Numbers.

Use the various types of visual guides such as to assist the students and help them to understand adding and subtracting rational numbers.

Example:

• 1/2 + 1/4 = 2/4 + 1/4 = 3/4
• 3/5 + 2/7 = 21/35 + 10/35 = 31/35
• 3/4 – 1/8 = 6/8 – 1/8 = 5/8
• 7/9 – 1/3 = 7/9 – 3/9 = 4/9

Multiplying and Dividing the Rational Numbers.

Show the students about the various principles for multiplying and dividing rational numbers. Also, try to remind them to increase the fractional parts if possible.

Example:

• [Tex]\frac{2}{3} \times \frac{4}{5} = \frac{2 \times 4}{3 \times 5} = \frac{8}{15} [/Tex]
• [Tex] \frac{1}{4} \times \frac{3}{7} = \frac{1 \times 3}{4 \times 7} = \frac{3}{28} [/Tex]
• [Tex] \frac{3}{4} \div \frac{2}{5} = \frac{3}{4} \times \frac{5}{2} = \frac{3 \times 5}{4 \times 2} = \frac{15}{8} [/Tex]
• [Tex]\frac{7}{9} \div \frac{1}{3} = \frac{7}{9} \times \frac{3}{1} = \frac{7 \times 3}{9 \times 1} = \frac{21}{9} = \frac{7}{3}[/Tex]

Visual Methods to Teach Rational Numbers

Showing rational numbers can be made really easy to understand with visual strategies. The following are three visual techniques to use while teaching:

• Fraction Circles or Pies
• Number Lines

Fraction Circles or Pies

Fraction circles (or pie diagrams) are brilliant for visually showing the portions of an entire circle, which is important for figuring out rational numbers.

Number Lines

A number line is an easy and important visual method for showing rational numbers as it assists the students with grasping their overall positions and values.

Interactive Activities

Intelligent exercises and games are exceptionally powerful in educating and building up ideas connected with rational numbers. these techniques connect with students in active getting the hang of, making conceptual numerical ideas more concrete and reasonable. Some examples of these activities are:

Fraction Matching Game

• Objective: Match equivalent fractions.
• Description: Create a set of cards with fractions and their equivalent forms (e.g., 1/2​, 2/4​, 50/100​). Students draw cards and match equivalent pairs.

Fraction War

• Objective: Compare fractions to determine which is larger.
• Description: Similar to the card game “War,” each student flips over a fraction card, and the student with the larger fraction wins the round. This helps with understanding and comparing the sizes of different rational numbers.

Conclusion

Teaching rational numbers can be a good experience in teaching when it is taught with more clarity and examples. By building the basic foundation in the students and using visual guides and simple methods mentioned in the article, the students can easily understand the usage and conversion of rational numbers. It is also important to make sure students practice and give a lot of chances to the students to apply what they have learned.

Read More,

• Natural Numbers
• Integers
• Irrational Numbers
• Real Number
• Practice Problems on Rational Numbers
• How to Teach Even or Odd Numbers?

FAQs on Rational Numbers

Explain what are rational numbers.

Rational number is very simple and basics of mathematics, it is any number that can be used as a fraction with a whole number numerator and a non-zero number denominator.

How would you change an inappropriate division completely to a mixed number?

Divide the numerator by the denominator to get the entire number part and use the rest of the new numerator over the first denominator.

Can whole numbers be viewed as rational numbers?

Yes, whole numbers can be composed as divisions with a denominator of 1, making them rational numbers.

How would you analyze two rational numbers?

It is simple, first track down a shared factor for the fractions or convert them to decimals to look at their sizes.