Fractions, decimals and integers are often where students start to feel that math is difficult. Seeing and handling them in the Math Lab makes these ideas concrete.
Fractions
A fraction shows a part of a whole. Fold paper strips into halves, quarters and eighths, or use fraction circles to compare sizes. Students quickly see that ½ = 2⁄4 = 4⁄8.
Decimals
Decimals are another way to write fractions with tenths and hundredths. Use play money (rupees and paisa) or base-ten blocks where one flat represents 1, a rod 0.1 and a small cube 0.01.
Integers
Integers include positive numbers, negative numbers and zero. A floor number line is perfect: students walk forward for positive numbers and backward for negative ones. Coloured counters (one colour for +1, another for −1) show that a pair of +1 and −1 makes zero.
Real-life connections
Pizza slices, money, temperature above and below zero, and floors above and below ground level all help students connect these numbers to daily life.