Half of a Shape
Fold a piece of paper right down the middle so both sides match exactly -- you just made two halves! Cut a cracker straight across the middle and you get two equal halves too. Half means one of two EQUAL parts of something whole.
What You'll Learn
- What 'half' means for a shape - How to split circles, squares, and rectangles into two equal halves - How to tell a REAL half from two uneven pieces - How halves connect to sharing fairly
What Makes a Half a Half
A half is one of two parts that are exactly the same size. If you cut a cookie into two pieces and one piece is bigger, that is NOT halves -- that's just two uneven pieces. For it to be a true half, both parts must match perfectly if you put them on top of each other.
Halving a Circle
Picture a round pizza. If you cut it straight through the middle point, you get two matching half-circles. Each half looks like a rainbow shape called a semicircle. No matter which direction you cut through the center, as long as the cut passes through the middle, you get two equal halves.
Halving a Square or Rectangle
A square can be cut in half in more than one way: straight down the middle (making two tall rectangles), straight across the middle (making two flat rectangles), or corner to corner (making two triangles). All three ways are correct halves, as long as both resulting pieces are exactly equal.
When you share a snack fairly between 2 friends, you are finding halves! If you and a friend both get the exact same amount, you have split it into halves.
Match the shape to how it gets cut into two equal halves.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
You cut a sandwich into two pieces, but one piece is clearly bigger than the other. Did you make halves?
Which of these is a correct way to split a square into two equal halves?
Fold and Check
Get a square piece of paper. Fold it in half three different ways: (1) side to side, (2) top to bottom, (3) corner to corner. After each fold, unfold it and check that both sides match exactly by placing one half on top of the other. Draw all three fold lines on one square and label each resulting shape (rectangle or triangle).
Flashcards — click each card to reveal the answer
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