Magic squares have always been one one of my all time favorite activities! They are great for collaborative group work, getting students thinking, discussions, and problem solving. So I thought…why not pair two of my favorite things together and create fraction magic squares?
What Are Magic Squares?
Magic Squares come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have the same goal. Fill in the squares so that each row, column, and diagonal adds up to the magic number. The magic number is generally a whole number. I recommend starting magic squares with whole numbers so students get used to the idea of it. This website has a few magic squares to get you started, and there are a ton of others out there as well!
Why Use Magic Squares?
Magic Squares are great puzzles. They can be used for early finishers, a math center, a thinking task, and so much more. I love a lot of things about them, but one of my favorite things is that there is more than one way to approach them. You are given a large square with many little squares to fill in. The best part: it is up to you how you start it. This allows for great discussion and promotes the idea that you can get the same answer in different ways.
How Can I Combine Fractions and Magic Squares?
I decided that I wanted to take the problem solving and excitement students have for magic squares and combine it with fractions. This allows for students knowledge of equivalent fractions to shine, as well as addition and subtraction. You can make it as difficult or easy as you want. I started with the one pictured below, where the magic number is 1. This allowed for great discussion, and eventually we moved on to other magic squares where students were required to used mixed numbers or fractions greater than 1.
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