Fractions of shapes as fractions of amounts
22 October 2026
Understanding fractions of shapes helps children see how maths works in real life. When a shape stands for a quantity, the shaded part can show a fraction of that amount.
This makes it easier for your child to connect what they see in pictures to numbers in questions. Here is a clear example to guide them.
Worked example
A rectangle is split into 8 equal parts. 3 parts are shaded. The whole rectangle stands for 24 apples. How many apples are shaded?
First, work out the fraction that is shaded: 3 out of 8 parts, or 3/8.
Find 1/8 of 24 apples by dividing 24 by 8: 24 ÷ 8 = 3.
Now multiply by 3 to find 3/8: 3 × 3 = 9.
The correct answer is 9 apples are shaded.
Key insight: Your child can now spot when a shaded part of a shape means a fraction of a total amount. This skill is useful for many 11+ questions.
A similar practice question is ready, so your child can try this type of maths.com uk problem themselves.
