4th Grade Math
It’s that time of year again! Along with pumpkin spice lattes and cooler weather, autumn also brings standardized testing for many elementary school students. If your fourth grader is getting ready to take their math portion of the assessment, they may be feeling a little nervous. Never fear! We’re here to help with a quick review of some of the key concepts they’ll need to know. Also check our reliable friends website: Math for kids with Brighterly.com
4th Grade Educational Modules
One of the first things your child will need to know is how to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. This can be a little tricky, but there are a few steps they can follow to make it easier. Let’s say we’re adding 1/4 + 1/6. The first step is to find a common denominator—in this case, it would be 6. Once you have the common denominator, you can convert each fraction so that it has that denominator. For 1/4, that would be 2/6 (just multiply the numerator and denominator by 2 until you get 6). For 1/6, that would be 1/6 (no need to change anything). Now that the fractions have like denominators, we can add them together just like whole numbers: 2/6 + 1/6 = 3/6.
Homeschool 4th Grade Math Lessons Work?
Next up is multiplication and division of mixed numbers. A mixed number is just a whole number and a fraction combined, such as 3 1/2 or 5 3/4. To multiply mixed numbers, your child will first need to convert each mixed number into an improper fraction. An improper fraction is just a regular fraction where the numerator (top number) is greater than the denominator (bottom number).
For example, 3 1/2 would become 7/2 (just multiply 3 by 2 to get 6, and then add 1 to get 7). 5 3/4 would become 23/4 (multiply 5 by 4 to get 20, then add 3 to get 23). Once the mixed numbers have been converted into improper fractions with like denominators, they can be multiplied together just like regular fractions. So using our previous example, 7/2 x 23/4 would equal 161/8 (or you could reduce it down to 20 1/8).
Finally, no fourth grade math review would be complete without a quick overview of geometry! In particular, your child will likely need to know how to identify right angles, acute angles, obtuse angles, and straight lines. They should also be familiar with basic geometric shapes like squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles.
A right angle is formed when two lines intersect at a 90-degree angle; this is represented by a small square at the intersection point. An acute angle is less than 90 degrees; obtuse angles are more than 90 degrees. A straight line goes on forever in both directions and has no endpoints; shapes like squares and circles are examples of closed figures because they have endpoints that form closed loops. Triangles can either be “right” (one 90-degree angle), “acute” (all angles less than 90 degrees), or “obtuse” (one angle greater than 90 degrees).
Whether your child is taking their math standardized test next week or next month, we hope this review has been helpful in getting them prepared! A little review now will go a long way in ensuring they feel confident and successful come test day. Wishing them all the best!
What Concepts Do Fourth Graders Cover in Math?
In fourth grade, students continue to build upon the strong foundation they established in math during previous years. fourth graders learn new concepts in both geometry and algebra, as well as cover other topics such as probability and data analysis. Here is a more detailed breakdown of the mathematical concepts fourth graders learn during the school year.
Geometry and Measurement
In geometry, fourth graders focus on learning about two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional figures. They also spend time practicing measuring length, weight, capacity, and temperature. By the end of the year, students should be able to identify symmetry in geometric figures and complete basic geometric constructions.
Algebra
Fourth grade is when students first start to learn about algebra. They begin by learning how to identify and represent patterns using tables, graphs, and equations. Students also practice solving one-step equations and inequalities. By the end of the year, students should be able to solve multi-step equations and understand basic concepts of factorization.
Probability and Data Analysis
Fourth graders also learn about probability and data analysis. They collect data using surveys and experiments, then organize and display this data using line plots, bar graphs, pictographs, and double bar graphs. Students also learn to find the mean, median, mode, and range of data sets. By the end of the year, students should be able to make predictions based on data sets and interpret information from various types of graphs.
Fourth grade is when students start to really solidify their math skills. They learn important concepts in both geometry and algebra, as well as cover other topics such as probability and data analysis. By the end of the year, students should have a strong foundation on which to build more complex mathematical knowledge in future years.
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