Why it happens: All the fractions have 8 below the line, so all of them count the same eighth-size slices. The slice counts must add up to 8.
Q3.
Meena has 8 diyas. Colour 1/4 of her diyas red. To find 1/4, let us divide the number of diyas into 4 equal parts. Can you see how to divide the diyas into 4 equal parts? Now colour 2 diyas red.
Answer
Put the 8 diyas into 4 equal groups of 2. One group is 2 diyas, so 1/4 of 8 is 2 diyas.
Meena’s 8 diyas. The red dotted lines split them into 4 equal groups.
8 diyas shared into 4 equal groups
8 = 2 + 2 + 2 + 2
Each group has 2 diyas
So 1/4 of 8 = 2 diyas
Two diyas — one group out of the four — are coloured red.
Why it happens: A fraction of a group works just like a fraction of a roti. We first make equal groups, then take as many groups as the fraction asks for.
Try This: In the same way, 1/2 of 8 diyas is 4 diyas, and 1/8 of 8 diyas is 1 diya.