KS1 Maths · Topic guide

Shape and Simple Fractions

Shape and simple fractions covers naming and describing 2-D shapes, such as squares and circles, and 3-D shapes, such as cubes and spheres, by their sides, faces and corners, plus finding simple fractions such as half and a quarter of shapes and amounts. It combines two related Year 1-2 National Curriculum strands: geometry and fractions.

Year 1-2 (KS1)Geometry (Shape) and FractionsNational Curriculum

Before you start

Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:

Method

  1. Count the straight sides and corners of a 2-D shape to help name it, e.g. a triangle has 3 sides and 3 corners.
  2. Count the flat faces, edges and corners (vertices) of a 3-D shape to help name it, e.g. a cube has 6 flat faces.
  3. To find half of a shape or amount, split it into 2 equal parts and take 1 of them.
  4. To find a quarter of a shape or amount, split it into 4 equal parts and take 1 of them.
  5. To find half or a quarter of a number, divide it by 2 (for half) or by 4 (for a quarter).
  6. Remember a fraction only counts if the parts are equal in size; unequal parts are not halves or quarters.

Worked example

Priya has 24 conkers. She gives a quarter of them to her friend. How many conkers does she give away?

  1. A quarter means splitting the amount into 4 equal parts.
  2. Divide 24 by 4: 24 / 4 = 6.
  3. So 1 quarter of 24 is 6.

Practice questions

Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.

Exam-style questions

Written in the style of a KS1 Maths exam paper, with a full mark scheme.

Q1[2 marks]

A pizza is cut into 4 equal slices. Tariq eats 1 of the 4 equal slices. What fraction of the pizza is left?

Q2[2 marks]

Leon has 28 stickers. He gives a quarter of them to his sister. How many stickers does he give away? Show your working.

Q3[3 marks]

Ben has 40 sweets. He gives half of them to his sister. He then gives a quarter of what remains to his friend. How many sweets does Ben have left?

Free printable worksheet

Want more practice on paper? Download the shape and simple fractions worksheet pack - 16 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. No sign-up, no email wall - just the PDF, free for personal and classroom use.

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