Report on Olivia’s Rational Number Understandings:

Olivia demonstrated an understanding of the part-whole construct of fractions and

that fraction size is relative, recognising that fractions are equal shares of a given
whole and that a whole can change within a given task: she can successfully identify
common unit proper fractions of a given whole (1/4, 1/3, 1/6) by applying additive
thinking1. This understanding was evident when the fractions were modelled by an
area (parts of a defined region) and with a set model (dot array) 2. Olivia did not
however demonstrate an ability to apply this understanding for questions which
involved improper fractions and visual representations: she did not exhibit an ability
to determine larger items as a non-unit multiple of an item which was smaller. Visual
representations (which conceptualised a fraction) often resulted in some confusion 3:
in this context Olivia did not demonstrate an ability to determine or represent a whole
when she was given a part that was less than one.

Oliva demonstrated an ability to apply her understanding of the relative sizes of both
proper and improper fractions and her understanding of fraction measurement: she
partitioned a number to measure a unit fraction on a number line (1/3 and 1/6) and
using additive thinking, counted that it takes either two of these lengths to reach two-
thirds or five of these lengths to reach five-sixths on the number line. Olivia also
exhibited an understanding of the connection between division and fractions, whilst
demonstrating an ability to employ and explain a process of partitioning and iterating
(counting fractional parts), during a share-type question.

Olivia consistently demonstrated an understanding of fraction equivalences and the

relative size of fractions: she can identify, construct and estimate if fractions are/are
not/are almost equivalent, benchmark fractions against fractions that are equal or
close to ½, 1 or 2 and recognise that if fractions she has constructed/identified are
close to ½, when added to each other it will make a fraction that is close to one.

Olivia consistently demonstrated an ability to multiply proper and improper fractions

with whole numbers or other fractions, utilising a procedural understanding: she was
successful in identifying the resultant of multiplicative questions but was unable to
explain why she used certain approaches, such as cross-multiplication to find a
common denominator or that she was solving for a fraction of a fraction (rather she
recognised the appropriate times to employ algorithms). Olivia was able to
successfully compare and benchmark the relative size of fractions (involving both
proper and improper fractions with and without the same denominator) however her
initial strategy predominantly involved mentally applying algorithms (converting
fractions to share the same denominator) in order to compare their sizes 4. She
employed more efficient strategies when fractions were both equivalent to one-half
(by immediately benching marking to one half and exhibiting an understanding that
fractions can be used to indicate an operation) 5 and when the fractions shared the
same size whole (same denominator) as she was able to compare the parts
(numerators)6.

Olivia did not demonstrate an understanding that the place value system can extend
beyond tenths. She was able to represent fractions (smaller and greater than one) in
decimal notation and interpret decimals on a number line when they were in the form
of ‘tenths’ (e.g. ten tenths or 1.3) however could not do this for any other fraction or
decimal (e.g. hundredths or thousandths). Olivia has not developed an
understanding of the continuous quantity of decimal notation, specifically the fact that
there is an infinite number of numbers between any two numbers which are not
equal (property of being dense). Olivia also exhibited the common misconception
that if a numeral has more digits it is larger 7. Due to this application of the whole
number rule, Olivia did not demonstrate an understanding of the relative size of
decimals (she was unable to correctly order or compare decimal sizes). Olivia
demonstrated a conceptual understanding of multiplication in the decimal context:
she solved problems which required the multiplication of a decimal successfully and
noted that the multiplication of whole number with any number that is smaller than
one (e.g. 0.1) would result in a number that is less than one. She did not however
recognise that there was a difference between multiplying or dividing a particular
decimal (assuming the result would be the same).

Olivia appears to be yet to conceptualise or understand percentages and was

therefore unable to attempt questions which involved percentages and fractions
(such as converting fractions or decimals into percentages).