Word Problem: Fractions - 1 | Mathematics for Class 3 PDF Download

Exercise 1: Library Fractions

Gilly and Luke went to the school library one fine morning. They planned to read books that day and borrow books to read during the winter. Answer the questions below:Q.1. Of the 10 books on fairy tales, Gilly borrowed 3. What fraction of the books on fairy tales did she borrow?

• Step 1: Count the total fairy-tale books: 10
• Step 2: Count the books Gilly borrowed: 3
• Step 3: To write a fraction, put the borrowed books on top (numerator) and the total on the bottom (denominator)
  Fraction = 3 (borrowed) ÷ 10 (total) = 3⁄10
• Answer: Gilly borrowed 3⁄10 of the fairy-tale books.

Q.2. Luke saw 9 books about the Solar System and its 9 planets. These were thick books and so he thought that 2 of these would be enough. What fraction of the solar system books did he borrow?

• Step 1: Total solar-system books = 9

• Step 2: Borrowed by Luke = 2

• Step 3: Fraction = 2 ÷ 9 = 2⁄9

• Answer: Luke borrowed 2⁄9 of the solar-system books.

Q.3. Lastly, Gilly and Luke found a book on Greek mythology and the 12 most important Greek myths. The book had 120 pages.  Gilly and Luke read 101 pages of the book. What fraction of the book did they read?

• Step 1: Total pages in the book = 120

• Step 2: Pages read = 101

• Step 3: Fraction = 101 ÷ 120 = 101⁄120

• Answer: They read 101⁄120 of the book.

Q.4. Gilly found 15 books on underwater life and brought 7 of these to the table. What fraction of the books on underwater life did she bring to the table?
Underwater Life

• Step 1: Total underwater-life books = 15

• Step 2: Books she brought = 7

• Step 3: Fraction = 7 ÷ 15 = 7⁄15

• Answer: Gilly brought 7⁄15 of the underwater-life books.

Q.5. Luke also checked out books about land and sea animals. There were 20 books on land animals and 4 books on sea animals. He chose to borrow 7 books on animals. What fraction of the books on animals did Luke borrow?

• Step 1: Total animal books = 20 + 4 = 24

• Step 2: Borrowed = 7

• Step 3: Fraction = 7 ÷ 24 = 7⁄24

• Answer: Luke borrowed 7⁄24 of the animal books.

Exercise 2: Tree House Fractions

Diego, Roy, and Travis spent a sunny Saturday in their tree house playing marbles, cards, and toy cars. Answer the questions below:

Answer the below questions: 

Q.1. Diego brought his bag of marbles and found that 1 of his 6 marbles are blue. What fraction of Diego’s marbles is blue?

• Step 1: Total marbles Diego has = 6

• Step 2: Blue marbles = 1

• Step 3: Fraction = 1 ÷ 6 = 1⁄6

• Answer: 1⁄6 of Diego’s marbles are blue.

Q.2. Out of 24 marbles, Diego brought 7 Marbles and the rest of the marbles were brought by Travis. What fraction of marbles did Travis bring?

• Step 1: Total marbles = 24

• Step 2: Diego’s share = 7 → Travis’s = 24 – 7 = 17

• Step 3: Fraction = 17 ÷ 24 = 17⁄24

• Answer: Travis brought 17⁄24 of the marbles.

Q.3. What is 1/2 of 50?

• Step 1: “Half” means divide by 2

• Step 2: 50 ÷ 2 = 25

• Answer: 1⁄2 of 50 is 25.

Q.4. Roy also brought his bag of marbles. Of his 30 marbles, 10 are also blue. What fraction of Roy’s marbles is blue?

• Step 1: Total marbles = 30

• Step 2: Blue marbles = 10

• Step 3: Fraction = 10 ÷ 30 = 10⁄30, which can be simplified: divide top and bottom by 10 → 1⁄3

• Answer: 1⁄3 of Roy’s marbles are blue.

Q.5. Diego and Travis brought their hockey cards. Diego has 21 cards, 8 of which are members of the famous Hockmasters while Travis has 21 cards, 4 of which are members of the same team. Which of the two has the greater fraction of Hockmasters cards in their deck?

• Diego’s fraction: 8 ÷ 21 = 8⁄21

• Travis’s fraction: 4 ÷ 21 = 4⁄21

• Comparison: 8⁄21 is more than 4⁄21.

• Answer: Diego has the greater fraction of Hockmasters cards.

Exercise 3: Grocery Fractions

Laurice and her parents went to a local grocery one afternoon to buy food for the stormy week ahead. Answer the questions below:

Q.1. Laurice is fond of fruits, so he went to the fruit section and saw that there was one crate with 24 red juicy apples. She asked her mom to buy 5 of these. What fraction of the apples did they buy?

• Step 1: Total apples = 24

• Step 2: Bought = 5

• Step 3: Fraction = 5 ÷ 24 = 5⁄24

• Answer: They bought 5⁄24 of the apples.

Q.2. Of the 4 lbs of carrots that her mother bought, 1 lb will be used for minestrone and 2 lbs to feed their rabbits. What fraction of the carrots will be used for minestrone?

• Step 1: Total carrots = 4 lb

• Step 2: For minestrone = 1 lb

• Step 3: Fraction = 1 ÷ 4 = 1⁄4

• Answer: 1⁄4 of the carrots will be used for soup.

Q.3. Laurice’s father wanted to have citrus cream pie and so he bought one from the baker’s corner. If they consumed 5 of the 8 equal slices of the citrus cream pie, what part of the pie was consumed by them?

• Step 1: Total slices = 8

• Step 2: Eaten = 5

• Step 3: Fraction = 5 ÷ 8 = 5⁄8

• Answer: They consumed 5⁄8 of the pie.

Q.4. Laurice’s mother bought 1 bag of flour which weighs 10 lbs. She will use 3 lbs to make pancakes for breakfast the next day. What fraction of the bag of flour will she use to make pancakes?

• Step 1: Total flour = 10 lb

• Step 2: Used = 3 lb

• Step 3: Fraction = 3 ÷ 10 = 3⁄10

• Answer: 3⁄10 of the flour is used for pancakes.

Q.5. Laurice and her parents were fond of having cheese in their meals, so they bought one big block of cheese. If 1 of the 6 slices of the block of cheese will be used for lasagna and the remaining slices will be used for pizza, what portion of the block of cheese will be used for lasagna and what fraction for pizza?

• Lasagna: 1 ÷ 6 = 1⁄6

• Pizza: Remaining = 6 – 1 = 5 → 5 ÷ 6 = 5⁄6

• Answer: 1⁄6 for lasagna and 5⁄6 for pizza.