Children investigate the role of the vinculum, (the line between the numerator and denominator in a fraction) explaining it means divided by. This adds a new meaning to the numerator.
In Year 3, children explained the numerator as meaning the number of parts we are concerned with – which is additive thinking.
In Year 5, children also explain the numerator as the number in the group we are dividing – which is multiplicative thinking.
As children begin to develop this understanding, they begin to apply it to dividing the remainder to create a fraction – integrated Fractions and Decimals 21, Multiplication and Division 23.