Real World Applications of Fractions and Decimals

Solving Multi-Step Word Problems Involving Fractions and Decimals

Real World Applications

• Cooking and recipes: fractions and decimals are used to measure ingredients and scale recipes up or down.
• Shopping and discounts: understanding fractions and decimals helps calculate discounts, sales tax, and change.
• Measurement and conversion: fractions and decimals are used to convert between units of measurement (e.g., inches to feet).
• Science and engineering: fractions and decimals are used to represent proportions and ratios in scientific and engineering applications.

Word Problem Strategies

• Read and Understand: read the problem carefully, identify the key elements, and understand what is being asked.
• Identify the Operation: determine the operation(s) needed to solve the problem (e.g., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).
• Represent the Problem: use visual representations (e.g., diagrams, charts) or equations to represent the problem.
• Solve the Problem: use the identified operation(s) and representation to solve the problem.
• Check the Answer: check the answer for reasonableness and accuracy.
• Use Visual Models: use visual models (e.g., number lines, fraction strips) to represent fractions and decimals and solve the problem.
• Work Backwards: work backwards from the solution to check if the answer is correct.
• Break Down the Problem: break down the problem into smaller, more manageable parts, and solve each part separately.

Real World Applications

• Fractions and decimals are used in cooking and recipes to measure ingredients and scale recipes up or down.
• Understanding fractions and decimals helps calculate discounts, sales tax, and change in shopping.
• Fractions and decimals are used to convert between units of measurement (e.g., inches to feet) in measurement and conversion.
• Fractions and decimals are used to represent proportions and ratios in scientific and engineering applications.

Word Problem Strategies

Reading and Understanding

• Read the problem carefully to identify key elements and understand what is being asked.

Identifying Operations

• Determine the operation(s) needed to solve the problem (e.g., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).

Representing the Problem

• Use visual representations (e.g., diagrams, charts) or equations to represent the problem.

Solving the Problem

• Use the identified operation(s) and representation to solve the problem.

Checking the Answer

• Check the answer for reasonableness and accuracy.

Visual Models

• Use visual models (e.g., number lines, fraction strips) to represent fractions and decimals and solve the problem.

Working Backwards

• Work backwards from the solution to check if the answer is correct.

Breaking Down the Problem

• Break down the problem into smaller, more manageable parts, and solve each part separately.