Fractions, Decimals, and Percents

by David A. Adler, Edward Miller (Illustrator)

Overview

Step right up! Come take part in the county fair, where you’ll see fractions, decimals, and percents everywhere. Gobble up a fraction of pie, boost your batting average in the arcade,
and take a percent off the price of a toy. Learning about equivalent parts equals a whole lot of fun in this straightforward introduction to a challenging concept.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823423545
Publisher:	Holiday House, Inc.
Publication date:	12/22/2010
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	44,672
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.10(d)
Lexile:	640L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

David Adler was born April 10, 1947. He graduated Queens College in 1968 with a BA in economics and education and licenses to teach mathematics and history. He then worked for nine years as a New York City mathematics teacher. While teaching he studied at New York University and in 1971 was awarded an MBA in marketing. He began work on a PhD in marketing when inspiration struck and he wrote his first book, A LITTLE AT A TIME (Random House, 1976). Suddenly his focus changed from marketing to writing.

In 1973 he married Renee Hamada, a psychologist, and in 1977 their first child, Michael was born. By that time David had written several books. He was granted a child-care leave from teaching and while Renee continued her work, David stayed home, took care of Michael, and wrote in earnest. It was during his first year on leave that he wrote CAM JANSEN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN DIAMONDS. David's ANDY RUSSELL series was inspired by another family member and the many adventures the family had with his enthusiasm and his pets. He lives in New York State. www.davidaadler.com.

Edward Miller is the author, illustrator, and designer of The Monster Health Book, a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, and The Tooth Book. He lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

"Both straightforward and bouncy, a successful primer on parts."

"Offers a more active approach to learning equivalents."

From the Publisher

Adler and Miller easefully tackle yet another aspect of mathematics with clear explanations and graphic interpretations that extend the topic of an earlier book of theirs, Working with Fractions (2007). Here the author draws the connection between fractions, decimals and percents using money as a convenient vehicle to express parts of a whole. The illustrator sets the action at a county fair with electric colors and sharp, two-dimensional edges. The price of goods at the fair serves to launch the discussion of how 89 cents becomes 89/100 becomes .89 becomes 89 percent. Gradually more complicated material is introduced-numerator, denominator, position relative to decimal point-and then how one finds decimals and percents when the denominator isn't 100. Times when a particular use predominates is explained, and a few pop quizzes are administered to give readers a sense of grasp and accomplishment. The team's sense of sheer fun gives the book significant propulsion, the county fair conveys an assuaging atmosphere for those with a touch of math anxiety and the quizzes offer an enjoyable challenge. Both straightforward and bouncy, a successful primer on parts. (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

The fun and bustle of the fairgrounds is the setting for this introduction to parts of numbers. Bright, retro-style illustrations grab readers' attention and invite participation, making it a perfect selection for a whole-class read-aloud. Key vocabulary words are bolded in the text, and the different forms of written numbers are repeated throughout the illustrations. Many real-world applications are provided throughout the book, including sale prices, batting averages, money, and recipe measurements. These recognizable examples help to solidify understanding of the featured mathematical concepts. This book would be a great addition to any classroom or elementary school library. It is a good supplement for a math unit in a classroom or a homeschool environment. Reviewer: Amy McMillan

Children's Literature - Amy McMillan