i-Ready Classroom Mathematics Grade 5, Unit 4: Multiplication and Division of Fractions
In this unit, your child explores fractions as division, multiplies fractions by whole numbers and by fractions, finds areas with fraction side lengths, reasons about whether a product will be larger or smaller, and divides with unit fractions. Story problems connect each idea to everyday life. It follows adding and subtracting fractions, and the next unit uses these skills with measurement, volume, and data.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Unit 4?
- Solving sharing problems where the answer is a fraction or mixed number, like 7 brownies shared by 2 people giving 3 1/2 each. Learn more: Fractions as sharing, like 3 ÷ 4 = 3/4
- Multiplying fractions and finding the area of rectangles with fraction side lengths, like 2/3 by 3/5 meter. Learn more: Multiplying fractions, like 2/3 × 4/5
- Reasoning about products without calculating, like knowing 1 1/2 × 8 is more than 8. Learn more: When multiplying makes a number smaller
- Solving story problems with fractions and mixed numbers, like finding 2 1/2 times a 1 1/3-yard piece of fabric. Learn more: Multiplying fractions in real life, like recipes
- Dividing with unit fractions, like finding how many 1/3-hour practice sessions fit in 2 hours, or sharing 1/4 of a cake among 3. Learn more: Dividing with fractions, like 1/2 ÷ 4
Sample questions to try together
These are real questions from our practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
What is 4 ÷ 7?
- 0
- 4/7
- 7/4
How you can help
- Share 7 crackers between 2 people. Ask your child how many each person gets, 3 1/2, instead of “3 with 1 left over,” and how they know.
- Measure a placemat or tile in feet with fraction side lengths. Ask your child to multiply the two sides to find its area in square feet.
- Ask how many 1/3-hour shows fit in 2 hours, or how many 1/2-mile laps make 3 miles. Let your child draw each one, then check that both answers are 6.
Where kids can get stuck
- Giving a remainder when a fraction fits better, so 7 brownies shared by 2 is “3 remainder 1.”
- Assuming any fraction makes a number smaller, so 1 1/2 × 8 is expected to be less than 8.
- Answering 1/4 ÷ 3 with 3/4, multiplying when sharing a piece should make each share smaller.
Practice makes perfect
Bobby's Math Club has practice problems that adapt to your child’s level, each with a detailed explanation and an easy-to-follow video, so your child can build confidence in these skills one step at a time.
Words your child will hear
- quotient
- The answer to a division problem, like 8 in 32 ÷ 4 = 8.
- mixed number
- A whole number and a fraction together, like 2 1/2.
- area
- The amount of flat space a shape covers, measured in square units.
- unit fraction
- A fraction with 1 as its numerator, like 1/3 or 1/8.
- scaling
- Thinking of multiplication as stretching or shrinking an amount.
- product
- The answer to a multiplication problem, like 24 in 6 × 4 = 24.
- dividend
- The amount you start with and split up in a division problem.
- divisor
- The number you divide by, like 4 in 32 ÷ 4.
Want to help your child master fraction operations?
In Bobby's Math Club, your child practices these skills at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free.
Join the club
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
Which math standards does i-Ready Classroom Mathematics Grade 5 Unit 4 cover?
i-Ready Classroom Mathematics Grade 5 Unit 4 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
- 5.NF.B.3: Understand a fraction as division, like 2 ÷ 3 = 2/3.
- 5.NF.B.4: Multiply fractions, like 2/3 × 4/5 or 5/8 × 16.
- 5.NF.B.5: See how multiplying by a fraction can make a number bigger or smaller.
- 5.NF.B.6: Solve word problems that multiply fractions and mixed numbers.
- 5.NF.B.7: Divide with fractions, like 1/2 ÷ 4 and 5 ÷ 1/3.
For teachers: Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence. Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow.