importance of fractions
You might be sitting there, struggling with FRACTIONS.
The question on the mind of many students, and I might add parents, is why do I need fractions anyway? Is it really that important? Can't I just leave this part out and continue to algebra? Just pretend it doesn't exist.
Sad to say, but I'm afraid not. Fractions are a very important part of math. Just think of how many times a day you have to assess a situation, divide up a workload, drive a car or even plan a meal.
When you work you have to be able to give clear concise instructions. If you are planning to become an architect, medical doctor or any position in a technical field, you will need certain skills like fractions to be able to do a precise calculation. Can you imagine if the doctor or specialist cut a centimeter too far and ended up killing or mutilating his patient? The lives of people are dependent upon exact calculations.
In construction or carpentry, precise measurements are important to build houses or cutting lumber for home projects. Similarly, a driver needs to know what distances, such as a half-mile or quarter-mile represent. In the high jump, the height jumped by competitors is given in fractions, such as 3 1/2 feet.
Fractions are important in many other professions, such as for pharmacists and seamstresses. Its also necessary for students to learn fractions so they can take higher order math courses like algebra, where the topic of rational expressions involves adding and subtracting expressions in fraction form.
Think of a house without a foundation. It will be built on the sand or rubble and when the storms come, your house will be wet and damp. The floor will be muddy and you will most probably get very sick, and at some point your house will collapse.
Fractions are like that foundation. It's a much needed part to keep up the walls later on. Without the knowledge of fractions you will not be able to do algebra. Each part of math is building on the previous part.
Tests consist of a huge part of fractions and even in real life you use them. When dividing a pizza or meal into squares or when you want to divide up a space. Whatever the need for division, without the knowledge of fractions you won't be able to do it.
When going to college later on, you will need good grades, and well to be honest, your grades during school years are dependant upon your ability to do fractions.
You see, just like fractions is the foundation, in later life your house will need strong walls. Algebra is those walls that will keep up the roof. So if your math house wants to have a good roof later on, you need to be good in algebra, and to be good in algebra you need to be able to understand fractions.
If you desire to excel in any study course that requires math, you need to have those things in a solid and good structure, with a good understanding of how to do them.
Think of yourself as an architect. You are building a house, and you are doing it one part at a time. You have to start with the foundation. How will you do it? By dividing up the workload and taking it one step at a time. Don't move forward until you understand it and can do it with confidence.
See that house every time you struggle with fractions, and every time you manage to understand a part or problem, your house will be built a little bit further.
It all comes down to understanding of the subject. This applies to every area of your life, if you take the time to understand something you will be able to do it with confidence and it will become easy.
Whatever part of fractions you are struggling with, take the vision you have for the future and make yourself excited about it
The question on the mind of many students, and I might add parents, is why do I need fractions anyway? Is it really that important? Can't I just leave this part out and continue to algebra? Just pretend it doesn't exist.
Sad to say, but I'm afraid not. Fractions are a very important part of math. Just think of how many times a day you have to assess a situation, divide up a workload, drive a car or even plan a meal.
When you work you have to be able to give clear concise instructions. If you are planning to become an architect, medical doctor or any position in a technical field, you will need certain skills like fractions to be able to do a precise calculation. Can you imagine if the doctor or specialist cut a centimeter too far and ended up killing or mutilating his patient? The lives of people are dependent upon exact calculations.
In construction or carpentry, precise measurements are important to build houses or cutting lumber for home projects. Similarly, a driver needs to know what distances, such as a half-mile or quarter-mile represent. In the high jump, the height jumped by competitors is given in fractions, such as 3 1/2 feet.
Fractions are important in many other professions, such as for pharmacists and seamstresses. Its also necessary for students to learn fractions so they can take higher order math courses like algebra, where the topic of rational expressions involves adding and subtracting expressions in fraction form.
Think of a house without a foundation. It will be built on the sand or rubble and when the storms come, your house will be wet and damp. The floor will be muddy and you will most probably get very sick, and at some point your house will collapse.
Fractions are like that foundation. It's a much needed part to keep up the walls later on. Without the knowledge of fractions you will not be able to do algebra. Each part of math is building on the previous part.
Tests consist of a huge part of fractions and even in real life you use them. When dividing a pizza or meal into squares or when you want to divide up a space. Whatever the need for division, without the knowledge of fractions you won't be able to do it.
When going to college later on, you will need good grades, and well to be honest, your grades during school years are dependant upon your ability to do fractions.
You see, just like fractions is the foundation, in later life your house will need strong walls. Algebra is those walls that will keep up the roof. So if your math house wants to have a good roof later on, you need to be good in algebra, and to be good in algebra you need to be able to understand fractions.
If you desire to excel in any study course that requires math, you need to have those things in a solid and good structure, with a good understanding of how to do them.
Think of yourself as an architect. You are building a house, and you are doing it one part at a time. You have to start with the foundation. How will you do it? By dividing up the workload and taking it one step at a time. Don't move forward until you understand it and can do it with confidence.
See that house every time you struggle with fractions, and every time you manage to understand a part or problem, your house will be built a little bit further.
It all comes down to understanding of the subject. This applies to every area of your life, if you take the time to understand something you will be able to do it with confidence and it will become easy.
Whatever part of fractions you are struggling with, take the vision you have for the future and make yourself excited about it
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