Mathematics Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals

Transcription

1 Mathematics Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals

2 Dear Parent or Guardian: Your son or daughter is currently learning how to estimate decimals and fractions in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems. Here is your chance to help him or her practice this important skill. In this PAL Packet you will find a short activity for you and your son or daughter to do. Please do the activity and The Back Page this evening. Then sign your name on The Back Page and have your son or daughter return it tomorrow. Thanks for your help. Sincerely, Your son or daughter s teacher Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals 004 Evans Newton Incorporated 1

3 ESTIMATING FRACTIONS AND DECIMALS Parent Pointer Estimating is a skill that most of us use on a daily basis. An estimate is a logical guess. You may estimate how far you can travel on one quarter tank of gas before you have to stop and refuel. You may estimate the weight of fruit before you make the purchase. Sometimes we estimate fractions and decimals. You may use fractions when measuring objects or ingredients in a recipe. Decimals are used when writing money values. Math In the Home, On the Go, and For the Fun of It DIRECTIONS: To review rounding, read through the Rounding Fractions and Decimals reference page with your parent or guardian. On page 4, Running Out of Time, practice estimating with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Finally, on the Exploring and Experimenting page, either conduct the experiments listed on the page or write your own story problems. Talk About It After you have finished the activity, turn to The Back Page to show what you know. Now go have some fun with the activity! Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals 004 Evans Newton Incorporated

4 ROUNDING FRACTIONS AND DECIMALS When solving a word problem, be sure to look at the word clue that tells you if you should add, subtract, multiply, or divide. Sum = answer to an addition problem Difference = answer to a subtraction problem Product = answer to a multiplication problem Quotient = answer to a division problem When rounding whole numbers, be sure to round to the highest place value. Remember that if the number to the right is 5 or higher, round up. If the number to the right is 4 or smaller, let it stay the same. Examples: 55 is rounded up to is rounded to 300 When rounding fractions, look to see if the numerator is about less than one half, one half, or more than one half of the denominator. These examples are rounded to 0, 1, or 1: 3 5 is rounded to 1 because 3 is about one half of 5. is rounded to 0 because one half of 10 is 5, and is less than 10 one half. 7 is rounded to 1 because one half of 8 is 4, and 7 is more than 4. 8 The following decimals are rounded to the nearest one half: 43.8 is rounded to 44 because 8 is more than is rounded to 43 because 3 is less than is rounded to because 58 is about one half of 100. Remember that you can write the decimal part of a number as a fraction to help you. Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals 004 Evans Newton Incorporated 3

5 RUNNING OUT OF TIME Read each story problem to find the estimate. Be sure to round the numbers before you compute. For example, round the race times to the nearest 1 before you begin to add or subtract. 400m race (seconds) 1,000m race (minutes) Marcia Ama Jacob Martha Jose Estimate the difference between Jose s time and Martha s time in the 400m race to the nearest 1 second. Estimate the sum of Ama s 1,000m race time and Marcia s 1,000m race time to the nearest minute. Estimate the difference between Martha s 1,000m race time and Jacob s 1,000m race time to the nearest minute. Estimate the difference between Cleveland s temperature of 45 degrees and Minneapolis temperature of degrees. Marcus wants to know about how much of each ingredient he should buy to make spaghetti for his friends and family. Decide if the fractions are closest to 0, 1, or Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals 004 Evans Newton Incorporated 4

6 EXPLORING AND EXPERIMENTING You and your parent or guardian can perform the following experiments by recording each other s time, OR you can write three story problems at the bottom or on the back side of this page for your parent or guardian to solve. PENCIL ROLL Each of you take turns walking alongside the kitchen or dining room table, pushing a pencil the length of the table with your nose. That s right, your nose! Looking at a clock or a watch with a minute hand, record each other s time. Then, estimate the difference between the times to the nearest second. WAKE-UP WALKING Set up a distance that you and your parent or guardian can walk around, like the block you live on. Each of you needs to walk around the block as quickly as you can. Record each other s time, and estimate the sum of the times to the nearest minute. OR Write a story problem that asks to estimate the difference between two temperatures. Write a story problem that asks to estimate the sum of two fractions by rounding the fractions to 0, 1, or 1. Write a story problem that asks to estimate the difference of two runners times by rounding the running times to the nearest 1 second. Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals 004 Evans Newton Incorporated 5

7 The Back Page Talk About It Parent Ask your child the following questions: How do you round whole numbers? How do you round fractions and decimals? Student Answer the above questions in complete sentences on the bottom of this page. OR Do one of the following activities (use the back side of this page if needed): Draw a picture showing an activity where you would need to round fractions and decimals. Look at the sale section of the newspaper. Record prices and find the estimates of sums and differences. Student s Name Parent or Guardian s Signature Grade 6 Estimation with Fractions and Decimals 004 Evans Newton Incorporated 6