What are Equivalent Fractions?

Look at the images given below.

What do the fractions in the images have in common?

Each fraction in the image represents the same value. These fractions are equivalent.

Equivalent fractions are fractions that have different numbers but the same value.

One way to tell if two fractions are equivalent is to draw a picture.

First of all draw 2 boxes and label them:

Now divide each box. The first box has a denominator of 3, so split it into 3 sections. The second box has a denominator of 6, split that into 6 sections.

Next color these boxes using the numerators. The first fraction has a numerator of 2, so color 2 boxes. The second has a numerator of 4, color 4 boxes.

We notice that the same amount of each box is colored, so, these are equivalent fractions.

To find equivalent fractions, multiply or divide the numerator and denominator by the same number.

Let's illustrate through an example.

Example 1

To check if two fractions are equivalent multiply or divide by the same number.

Example 2

Multiply numerator and denominator by 2.

Example 3

To find the missing number, look at the denominator.

In denominator, 5 is multiplied by 4 to get 20.

So, multiply the numerator 3 by the same number 4 to find the missing number.