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Maths Adventures

Dinosaur maths quest: fractions

A story-led junior maths adventure using fossils, footprints and giant timelines to split food, maps and treasure into equal parts.

Quick answer

Fractions are equal parts of a whole thing. In a Dinosaur maths quest, you'll use fractions to split food, treasure, and maps into equal pieces so everyone gets a fair share!

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand how to split things into equal parts and use fractions to show how much each person gets. Success signs:
  • You can divide a pizza into 4 equal slices and say each slice is one-quarter
  • You can share 6 dinosaur bones between 2 friends and explain each friend gets 3 bones, or 3/6 of the bones
  • You can identify when things are split into equal parts and use words like halves, thirds, quarters
  • You can draw pictures to show fractions like 1/2 or 1/4

Why this matters

Fractions help you share things fairly and understand how big or small parts are. In a Dinosaur maths quest, you'll use fractions to:
  • Split dinosaur food so everyone gets a fair share
  • Divide treasure maps into equal sections
  • Measure how far dinosaurs walked using timelines
  • Count footprints to find out how many dinosaurs were there
Fractions are used in cooking, sharing snacks, telling time, and even in video games. Understanding fractions helps you solve puzzles and make fair decisions.

How it works

Fractions are made of two numbers:
  • The top number (numerator) shows how many parts you have
  • The bottom number (denominator) shows how many equal parts the whole thing is split into
Example: If you split a dinosaur egg into 4 equal pieces and take 1 piece, you have 1/4 of the egg. Step-by-step:
  1. Start with a whole thing (like a cake, a dinosaur map, or a fossil)
  2. Split it into equal parts (like 2, 3, or 4 equal pieces)
  3. Count how many equal parts the whole has (this is your denominator)
  4. Count how many parts you have (this is your numerator)
  5. Write it as a fraction like 2/4 or 1/3

Examples you can see

Example 1: Dinosaur Footprints Imagine you found 12 dinosaur footprints and want to split them equally between 3 friends.
  • Each friend gets 4 footprints
  • Each friend gets 4/12 of the footprints
  • That's the same as 1/3 of the footprints
Example 2: Dinosaur Food Sharing You have 8 dinosaur eggs and want to share them between 4 friends.
  • Each friend gets 2 eggs
  • Each friend gets 2/8 of the eggs
  • That's the same as 1/4 of the eggs
Example 3: Dinosaur Treasure Map You found a treasure map that is 12 inches long. You split it into 4 equal parts.
  • Each part is 3 inches long
  • Each part is 3/12 of the map
  • That's the same as 1/4 of the map
Example 4: Dinosaur Fossil Pieces A dinosaur fossil is broken into 6 pieces. You collect 2 pieces.
  • You have 2/6 of the fossil
  • That's the same as 1/3 of the fossil

Try it as a mini adventure

Dinosaur Maths Quest: The Fraction Fossil Hunt You are a young dinosaur explorer who has found a special fossil. The fossil is 12 inches long and you want to split it into equal pieces to share with your 3 friends. Adventure Steps: 1st time: You split the 12-inch fossil into 2 equal pieces. How long is each piece? What fraction of the fossil is each piece? 2nd time: Now you split each of those 2 pieces into 2 equal parts. How long is each new piece? What fraction of the whole fossil is each piece? 3rd time: You split the 12-inch fossil into 3 equal pieces. How long is each piece? What fraction of the fossil is each piece? 4th time: You split the 12-inch fossil into 4 equal pieces. How long is each piece? What fraction of the fossil is each piece? 5th time: You split the 12-inch fossil into 6 equal pieces. How long is each piece? What fraction of the fossil is each piece? Challenge: Can you figure out what fraction each piece is in each step?

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Thinking that 1/2 and 1/4 are the same size.
  • Why it happens: Confusing the numbers 2 and 4
  • Fix: Draw a circle and split it into 2 equal parts and 4 equal parts. See how 1/2 is bigger than 1/4
Mistake 2: Splitting a shape into parts that are not equal.
  • Why it happens: Not measuring carefully or not paying attention
  • Fix: Use a ruler or fold carefully to make sure parts are the same size
Mistake 3: Counting the wrong number of parts.
  • Why it happens: Getting confused between numerator and denominator
  • Fix: Remember: denominator = total parts, numerator = parts you have
Mistake 4: Thinking that 2/4 and 1/2 are different.
  • Why it happens: Not knowing that fractions can be simplified
  • Fix: Show that 2/4 = 1/2 by drawing the same shape split differently

Parent and carer guide

How to help your child:
  • Look for fractions in everyday life: "You ate 1/3 of your sandwich"
  • Use food to practice: Cut a pizza into 4 equal slices and talk about 1/4
  • Play fraction games: Use dice to make fractions like 3/6 or 2/8
  • Draw fractions: Draw a circle and split it into equal parts
  • Ask questions: "What fraction of your toys are cars?"
What to watch for:
  • Does your child understand that parts must be equal?
  • Can they identify the numerator and denominator?
  • Do they understand that 1/2 is bigger than 1/4?
  • Can they simplify fractions like 2/4 = 1/2?
How to make it fun:
  • Make fraction art with paper shapes
  • Use cooking to show how fractions work
  • Play with fraction blocks or fraction circles
  • Create a fraction scavenger hunt

Practice questions

  1. If you split a dinosaur egg into 4 equal pieces and take 1 piece, what fraction do you have?
  2. You have 10 dinosaur bones and want to share them between 2 friends. How many bones does each friend get? What fraction is that?
  3. A dinosaur footprint is 12 inches long. You split it into 3 equal parts. How long is each part? What fraction is each part?
  4. You found 15 dinosaur footprints and want to split them equally between 5 friends. What fraction of the footprints does each friend get?
  5. If you split a fossil into 6 equal pieces and take 2 pieces, what fraction do you have?
Answers:
  1. 1/4
  2. 5 bones each, or 5/10 = 1/2
  3. 4 inches, or 1/3
  4. 1/5
  5. 2/6 = 1/3

FAQ

What is a fraction?

A fraction is a way to show part of a whole thing. It tells us how many parts we have compared to how many equal parts the whole is split into.

How do I write a fraction?

You write a fraction with two numbers: the top number (numerator) shows how many parts you have, and the bottom number (denominator) shows how many equal parts the whole is split into.

What does "equal parts" mean?

Equal parts mean that each piece is exactly the same size. If you split a cake into 4 pieces and they are all the same size, then they are equal parts.

Why do we need fractions?

Fractions help us share things fairly, measure things more precisely, and understand parts of a whole. They're used in cooking, time, money, and many other daily activities.

How can I practice fractions at home?

You can practice fractions by sharing food, cutting shapes into equal parts, using fraction toys, or looking for fractions in everyday situations like "half the class" or "one-third of the cookies".