91.08 Paper folding fractions

Abstract

The article recommends a classroom activity to teach fractions through paper folding. The activity can be used to describe areas of folded polygons in terms of a standard unit of measure, such as inches or centimeters. Students can make different polygons and use reasoning to find their areas by folding or not folding on the various fold lines. It notes that if the class will use formulas, it will be necessary in some cases to rely on using the Pythagorean Theorem.