Question 74

Making a connection to money to show how four quarters make up a dollar will best help the student.

Connecting the concept of fractions to money, specifically how four quarters make a dollar, provides a tangible way for the student to understand the decimal equivalent of 3/4. This real-world application makes the abstract concept of fractions more relatable and easier to grasp.

A) Demonstrating how a percent can be converted into decimals or fractions

While understanding the relationship between percentages, decimals, and fractions is important, this option does not directly link to the specific fraction of 3/4. For a third-grade student struggling with this conversion, percent conversion may add unnecessary complexity rather than clarity.

B) Making a connection to money to show how four quarters make up a dollar

This strategy effectively illustrates that 3/4 can be understood as 75 cents, directly linking the fraction to a familiar context. By visualizing that four quarters equal a whole dollar, the student can more easily see how the fraction translates into a decimal value of 0.75.

C) Explaining that the denominator of a fraction is the total number of parts needed to make a whole

While this explanation is foundational to understanding fractions, it does not provide a direct method for converting 3/4 to a decimal. It may leave the student confused about how to apply this knowledge to find the decimal equivalent.

D) Writing out the decimals to show that the fraction can be written as 7 tenths and 5 hundredths, or 75 hundredths

This option introduces decimal representation but may overwhelm the student with unnecessary detail. The conversion of 3/4 to 0.75 can be confusing if the student is not yet comfortable with decimals, and the breakdown into tenths and hundredths complicates the straightforward understanding needed at this level.

Conclusion

The best approach for helping the student convert 3/4 to a decimal is to relate it to money, as shown in option B. This strategy offers a clear, practical example that makes the abstract concept of fractions more accessible. Other options either complicate the understanding of fractions, fail to connect with the specific fraction in question, or do not directly aid in the conversion process.