Partitioning Shapes

Partitioning Shapes Into Parts With Equal Areas

Content Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.G.A.2 Partition shapes into parts with equal areas. Express the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole. For example, partition a shape into 4 parts with equal area, and describe the area of each part as 1/4 of the area of the shape. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b. Instructions: Use the colored pieces to partition the each figure into parts with equal areas.
  1. Partition Figure 1 into parts with equal areas. What is the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole?
  2. Partition Figure 2 into parts with equal areas. What is the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole?
  3. When partitioning the figures into parts with equal areas, did you use the same or different colored pieces? Why?
  4. Can the figures be partitioned into parts with equal areas in more than one way? If so, how?
  5. What is one observation you found interesting when exploring this tool?