Chapter 14: The Surajkund Fair

Every year, a colourful fair fills the grounds at Surajkund. Stalls of pottery, music, food, dance , and lots of maths! In this last chapter, we share, count, pattern and play.

What we'll learn

• Understand fractions like half and quarter.
• Spot patterns in beads, tiles and music.
• Combine many ideas from the year.
• Solve fun mixed problems.
• Celebrate the maths we have learned.

The big idea

A fraction is a part of a whole. When a roti is cut into 2 equal pieces, each piece is one-half. We write it as $\frac{1}{2}$. If it is cut into 4 equal pieces, each piece is one-quarter, written $\frac{1}{4}$.

Two halves make one whole. Four quarters make one whole. The bigger the bottom number (called the denominator), the smaller each piece , because the whole is shared among more pieces.

Patterns make the world beautiful. A bead chain may go red, blue, red, blue. A floor tile may repeat triangles. Music has rhythm patterns: dha, dhin, dhin, dha. Once we spot the pattern, we can predict what comes next.

A maths fair is a place where every idea meets. Numbers help us count visitors. Money helps us buy chaat. Shapes appear in pottery. Time tells us when the puppet show begins. Fractions appear when we share a piece of jalebi.

Let's explore

Half a chapati. Take a paper circle as a chapati. Fold it in half. Then in half again. How many equal pieces? What is each piece called?

Bead pattern. Make a bracelet pattern on paper: red-yellow-red-yellow-red-?. What comes next? Now try red-red-blue-red-red-blue.

Quarter clock. Look at a clock face. Imagine cutting it into 4 equal pieces. Each piece is a quarter , 15 minutes.

Fair budget. You have 100 rupees at the fair. Pick 3 things to buy: chaat 30, balloon 10, ride 40. How much is left?

Worked examples

Example 1. A jalebi is shared equally between 2 children. What part does each get?

• One whole shared into 2 equal parts.
• Each gets one-half, or $\frac{1}{2}$.

Example 2. A pizza is cut into 4 equal slices. Rohan eats 1 slice. What fraction did he eat? How much is left?

• He ate $\frac{1}{4}$.
• 3 slices remain, that is $\frac{3}{4}$.

Example 3. A bead pattern is: red, blue, green, red, blue, green, red, ?, ?. What comes next?

• The pattern repeats every 3 beads.
• After red comes blue, then green.

Quick check

1. How many quarters make one whole?
2. Half of 20 is ?
3. What comes next: 5, 10, 15, 20, ?
4. A mango is cut into 4 equal parts. You eat 2. What fraction is left?
5. Write a maths question you saw at the fair this year.

Recap

• A fraction is an equal part of a whole.
• Half is $\frac{1}{2}$, quarter is $\frac{1}{4}$.
• Patterns repeat , once we spot them, we can predict the next.