3rd Grade Fraction of a Whole Problems Worksheet: Popcorn, Rod and Cloth

Fractions turn up in daily life whenever a whole is cut into equal parts. This 3rd grade fraction of a whole problems worksheet has three stories, numbered 1 to 3, with room to work under each one. In item 1, Angela splits a popcorn tin into 4 sections and fills 3 of them with salted popcorn. In item 2, Ben the blacksmith cuts an iron rod into 7 pieces and drills holes in 2 of them. Item 3 tells how Belta the tailor cuts a cloth into 10 pieces. She uses 3 of them for headbands. Your child must read each question with care. It does not always ask about the part named first. A blacksmith at his anvil and a dress form decorate the page. Page two lists the facts for each story and gives the fraction.

Three fractions to check

The answers are 3/4, 5/7 and 7/10. In item 2, the question asks about the pieces with no holes, so your child works out 7 - 2 = 5 first. Item 3 works the same way, since the scarves use the rest of the cloth: 10 - 3 = 7. All the answers in the key are right.

The key shows a good habit. It writes the total number of equal pieces as the denominator, then the pieces asked about as the numerator. Fraction word problems like these ask a child to read twice before they count. They build on the third grade idea of a fraction of a whole.

At the table: draw the whole

Ask your child to draw each whole as a long bar and to cut it into the right number of parts. Then they shade the parts that the question asks about. The picture makes the subtraction step easy to see.

The text has a few slips. Item 1 says "a cardboard" for a piece of cardboard and "salt popcorn" for salted popcorn, and it names a streaming brand. Item 2 asks about "the iron rods", but there is only one rod. In item 3, "cloths" should read "cloth" and "head bands" should read "headbands". The key also writes "scrves" for scarves.

After the page: a pizza story

Cut a pizza or a pancake into 8 equal slices at dinner. Then eat 3 slices together and ask your child what fraction of the whole is left. Next, let your child make up a story of their own for you to solve. Finally, check the three answers with the answer key on page two.