Fractions — NSW Year 7 Maths
Parts of a whole, from slices of pizza to cups of flour in a recipe. Eleven subtopics and 220 practice questions, each with a fully worked solution, aligned to NESA outcome MA4-FRC-C-01.
Fractions in NSW Year 7
A fraction describes part of a whole: the denominator says how many equal parts the whole is cut into and the numerator says how many of those parts you have. In Year 7, students build and simplify equivalent fractions using the highest common factor, place fractions and mixed numerals on a number line, and learn to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and mixed numerals.
The eleven subtopics below start with equivalent fractions and ordering on a number line, then cover adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numerals, fractions of a quantity, and multiplying and dividing fractions and mixed numerals, before finishing with worded problems. Fractions is one of the 13 topics in NSW Year 7 Maths and sits in the Number and Algebra strand (NESA outcome MA4‑FRC‑C‑01). Fraction skills feed directly into percentages, ratios, probability and solving equations in algebra.
Subtopics
Fractions: common questions
What fraction skills are taught in Year 7?
Year 7 students simplify fractions, convert between mixed numerals and improper fractions, compare and order fractions, and add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and mixed numerals.
Why is \(\frac{2}{3} + \frac{1}{4}\) not \(\frac{3}{7}\)?
You cannot add the tops and the bottoms separately, because thirds and quarters are different-sized parts. Rename both with a common denominator first: \(\frac{2}{3} + \frac{1}{4} = \frac{8}{12} + \frac{3}{12} = \frac{11}{12}\).
How do you divide fractions?
Multiply the first fraction by the reciprocal of the second, which means turning the second fraction upside down. For example, \(\frac{3}{4}\) divided by \(\frac{3}{8}\) is \(\frac{3}{4}\) times \(\frac{8}{3}\), which equals \(2\).
Which NESA outcome covers fractions?
Fractions sit in Stage 4 of the NSW Mathematics K–10 Syllabus (2022) under outcome MA4‑FRC‑C‑01, the same outcome as decimals and percentages, usually taught in Year 7.
What comes after fractions in Year 7?
Fractions are used again with percentages, ratios and probability, and in algebra when an equation has a fractional answer. Later in Stage 4 they appear in rates and in harder equations.