Chapter 4

Mathematics Education to Develop

Students Agency: The Case of Fractions

Q.1) Why do we need the idea of unit fraction? How do we use it?

The idea of unit fraction is needed because it serves as a necessary base or a starting point to extend
proper fraction to improper fraction. It is important that students know what unit they are working with.
Having said that, they will have an easier time understanding the concept. Once students have an
understanding of unit fractions, they can then move on to other fractions (proper and improper) - a
several copies of the same unit fraction, that is, as a multiple of a unit fraction - such as 2/5, 3/4, 4/6,
etc. For example, you can then say "two-fifths" has two copies of the unit fraction "one-fifth". Moreover,
if students understand the the unit fraction, they can easily represent the fraction on the number line,
and easier to think four operations of fractions.

Q.2) What is the difference between dividing fraction and operational fraction?

From the viewpoint of division, dividing fraction is deeply related with the activity of partitive division,
whereas operational fraction is related with the activity of quotative division. Although operational
fraction can be seen as a dividing fraction however it tries to measure the whole as a unit by the
remaining part.

Q.3) Why we need the quantity fraction?

We need the quantity fraction because it allows us to compare the size of fraction in relation to the unit
quantity.

Q.4) Why is difficult to compare the size using dividing fractions?

Dividing fractions is difficult to compare the size of fractions on the number line because the size of the
whole unit is not clear and it looks always less than one.

Q.5) Why operational fractions are explained by measuring through the remaining part? (If
needed, please refer to question #1 on Q&A from participants in Lesson #2.)

Operational fraction tries to measure the whole as a unit by the remaining part. It can explain mixed
fractions and improper fractions which means that the original length is longer than the whole like 1 m.
Moreover, operational fractions lead the way to the discussion of finding the unit (GCD) for the
measurement which works for whole numbers. Through this, the Euclidean Algorithm is introduced.

Chapter 4

Q.1) Find the equivalent property of addition and subtraction: Gakkotosho Grade 1.

For Addition:

9+2=8+3=7+4=6+5=5+6=4+7=3+8=2+9=11

9+3=8+4=7+5=6+6=5+7=4+8=3+9=12

9+4=8+5=7+6=6+7=5+8=4+9=13

9+5=8+6=7+7=6+8=5+9=14

9+6=8+7=7+8=6+9=15

9+7=8+8=7+9=16

9+8=8+9=17

For Subtraction:

11-2=12-3=13-4=14-5=15-6=16-7=17-8=18-9=9

11-3=12-4=13-5=14-6=15-7=16-8=17-9=8

11-4=12-5=13-6=14-7=15-8=16-9=7

11-5=12-6=13-7=14-8=15-9=6
11-6=12-7=13-8=14-9=5

11-7=12-8=13-9=4

11-8=12-9=3

Q.2) In Chapter 2, Q11, there are two meanings of dividing activity. Which activity can you see
on Figure 6a and 6b and explain why.

Figure 6a illustrates the meaning of Partitive Division, because we know the number of partitions at first,
in this problem we know the number of students in which the 2 L will be divided EQUALLY among them,
and we need to figure out how many liters of milk should each student receive. On the other hand,
Figure 6b illustrates the meaning of Quotative Division because we are not sure the number of partitions
at the beginning.

Q.3) Find the same product in the multiplication table.

1x2=2x1=2; 1x3=3x1=3; 1x4=4x1=4; 1x5=5x1=5; 1x6=6x1=6; 1x7=7x1=7; 1x8=8x1=8; 1x9=9x1=9;

2x3=3x2=6; 2x4=4x2=8; 2x5=5x2=10; 2x6=6x2=12; 2x7=7x2=14; 2x8=8x2=16; 2x9=9x2=18;

3x4=4x3=12; 3x5=5x3=15; 3x6=6x3=18; 3x7=7x3=21; 3x8=8x3=24; 3x9=4x9=36;

4x5=5x4=20; 4x6=6x4=24; 4x7=7x4=28; 4x8=8x4=32; 4x9=9x4=36;

5x6=6x5=30; 5x7=7x5=35; 5x8=8x5=40; 5x9=9x5=45;

6x7=7x6=42; 6x8=8x6=48; 6x9=9x6=54;

7x8=8x7=56; 7x9=9x7=63;

8x9=9x8=72