5 Must-Know Keywords for PSLE Math Fractions Problem Sums

Fraction is a topic many pupils are weak in. Pupils often find the concepts involving fractions abstract and difficult to understand as the values involved are not whole numbers but part of a whole. For PSLE Math, fractions is also a topic that pupils cannot afford to give up as it is inter-related to other important topics like ratio, percentage and even decimal. The concept of part-whole and strategies learnt can usually be applied across these few topics.

In this article, I will share with you five common keywords used in PSLE Math fractions problem sums. Note that these five keywords can be rephrased in ratio, percentage or decimal problem sums.

Number of chocolates → 3 units
Number of sweets → 2 units

Number of women → 2 units
Number of men → 3 units more than 2 units = 5 units

Number of rulers → 3 units
Number of pens → 15 more than 1 unit → 1 unit + 15

Equal numerators

¹⁄₄ of b = ²⁄₃ of g

²⁄₈ of b = ²⁄₃ of g

Once the numerators are equal, the denominators represent each variable respectively.

Number of boys → 8 units
Number of pens → 3 units

B → ¹⁄₄  x 100 = 25

C → ²⁄₃  x ³⁄₄  x 100 = 50

Left → ¹⁄₃  x ³⁄₄  x 100 = 25