NCERT Class 3 Maths (Maths Mela) · Chapter 8
Fair Share
Halves and quarters: sharing a whole fairly, half and double, and three-quarters.
📌 What you’ll learn in this chapter
- What a fair (equal) share is
- Half: a whole shared equally between 2
- Quarter: a whole shared equally among 4
- Half and double of a number
- 1, 2, 3, and 4 quarters
🫓 Let’s Begin: Sharing a Paratha
Aman and Riya have one paratha. Aman tears it quickly, and his piece is bigger! “Not fair!” says Riya.
So Riya folds the paratha so that both sides match exactly, then tears along the fold. Now both pieces are the same. Each child gets one half.
✂️ Part 1: Halves
- When a whole is shared equally between 2, each part is a half.
- 2 halves make 1 whole.
- A square paper can be folded in half in 4 ways: across, up–down, and along both diagonals.
⚠️ Common mistake
Calling any 2 pieces “halves”. Halves must be exactly the same size. Fold them over each other to check!
🔁 Part 2: Half and Double
| Number | Half | Double |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3 | 12 |
| 10 | 5 | 20 |
| 14 | 7 | 28 |
If 4 is half of 8, then 8 is double of 4.
🍰 Part 3: Quarters
When a whole is shared equally among 4, each part is a quarter. A quarter is also half of a half.
- 1 quarter · 2 quarters = half · 3 quarters · 4 quarters = 1 whole
💡 Quarters of a group
A quarter of 16 flowers: make 4 equal groups of 4. One group = 4 flowers.
✏️ Practice Time
Try these on your own first, then check your answer below each question.
Q1. What is half of 18?
✅ Answer9
Q2. What is double of 9?
✅ Answer18
Q3. How many quarters make a whole?
✅ Answer4
Q4. What is a quarter of 12 laddoos?
✅ Answer3 laddoos
📘 NCERT Textbook Activity Help
Hints and answers for the activities in the textbook, page by page. Try each one yourself before looking at the answer!
Pages 107–110 · HalvesParatha, chikki, and fair sharing
✅ AnswerShabnam folds the paratha to check that both parts match exactly. 2 halves make one whole.
Circle only the shapes where both parts are the same size and one part is coloured. Draw your line through the middle so the two sides match.
Chikki eaten from 3 sides: compare what’s left with half of the chikki. If it’s smaller than half, tick “less than half”.
Amit and Bala: not fair. Amit gets the useful things (fruits, the lamp at night, the blanket in winter). A fairer way is to share the fruits equally, and take turns with the lamp and the blanket on alternate nights or weeks.
Mangoes: give each child the same number.
Pages 111–112 · Half and doubleCircle only the shapes where both parts are the same size and one part is coloured. Draw your line through the middle so the two sides match.
Chikki eaten from 3 sides: compare what’s left with half of the chikki. If it’s smaller than half, tick “less than half”.
Amit and Bala: not fair. Amit gets the useful things (fruits, the lamp at night, the blanket in winter). A fairer way is to share the fruits equally, and take turns with the lamp and the blanket on alternate nights or weeks.
Mangoes: give each child the same number.
Marbles
✅ Answer4 is half of 8 · 10 is double of 5 · 5 is half of 10 · 8 is double of 4 · 6 is half of 12 · 12 is double of 6
Double of 7 = 14, so 13 is 1 away. Half of 14 = 7, so 5 is 2 away.
Guess who: 1. less than 6 and more than 4 → 5 marbles 2. less than 8 and more than 5 → 6 marbles
Chikki shared among 4: each gets a quarter. There are 4 quarters in a whole.
Pages 113–116 · QuartersDouble of 7 = 14, so 13 is 1 away. Half of 14 = 7, so 5 is 2 away.
Guess who: 1. less than 6 and more than 4 → 5 marbles 2. less than 8 and more than 5 → 6 marbles
Chikki shared among 4: each gets a quarter. There are 4 quarters in a whole.
Quarters, halves, and three-quarters
✅ AnswerTick the objects cut into 4 equal parts. To draw quarters, fold into half and then half again.
Birds and flowers: count the coloured birds and compare them with the total. If 16 flowers are tied: 8 is half, and 4 is a quarter. Half is double a quarter.
Three-quarters = 3 of 4 equal parts coloured. For each shape, divide it into 4 equal parts and colour the number of quarters asked.
Birds and flowers: count the coloured birds and compare them with the total. If 16 flowers are tied: 8 is half, and 4 is a quarter. Half is double a quarter.
Three-quarters = 3 of 4 equal parts coloured. For each shape, divide it into 4 equal parts and colour the number of quarters asked.
👨👩👧 Tips for Parents
- Fold rotis, paper, or cloth into halves and quarters.
- Play “half and double” orally with small numbers.
- Share fruits fairly and talk about why the shares are equal.