How to Add Fractions: Steps and Examples
Adding fractions is a usual math operation that children study in school. It can look daunting initially, but it can be simple with a tiny bit of practice.
This blog article will walk you through the process of adding two or more fractions and adding mixed fractions. We will then provide examples to demonstrate how this is done. Adding fractions is necessary for several subjects as you move ahead in science and math, so ensure to adopt these skills early!
The Steps of Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is a skill that many students have difficulty with. However, it is a somewhat simple process once you grasp the basic principles. There are three main steps to adding fractions: determining a common denominator, adding the numerators, and simplifying the answer. Let’s closely study every one of these steps, and then we’ll look into some examples.
Step 1: Finding a Common Denominator
With these helpful points, you’ll be adding fractions like a expert in no time! The initial step is to find a common denominator for the two fractions you are adding. The smallest common denominator is the lowest number that both fractions will share equally.
If the fractions you want to sum share the identical denominator, you can avoid this step. If not, to look for the common denominator, you can determine the amount of the factors of each number as far as you look for a common one.
For example, let’s assume we wish to add the fractions 1/3 and 1/6. The lowest common denominator for these two fractions is six for the reason that both denominators will split evenly into that number.
Here’s a great tip: if you are uncertain regarding this step, you can multiply both denominators, and you will [[also|subsequently80] get a common denominator, which would be 18.
Step Two: Adding the Numerators
Now that you possess the common denominator, the immediate step is to change each fraction so that it has that denominator.
To convert these into an equivalent fraction with the same denominator, you will multiply both the denominator and numerator by the same number necessary to get the common denominator.
Following the previous example, 6 will become the common denominator. To change the numerators, we will multiply 1/3 by 2 to get 2/6, while 1/6 will remain the same.
Considering that both the fractions share common denominators, we can add the numerators together to get 3/6, a proper fraction that we will be moving forward to simplify.
Step Three: Simplifying the Answers
The last process is to simplify the fraction. As a result, it means we need to lower the fraction to its lowest terms. To obtain this, we look for the most common factor of the numerator and denominator and divide them by it. In our example, the biggest common factor of 3 and 6 is 3. When we divide both numbers by 3, we get the ultimate result of 1/2.
You follow the same process to add and subtract fractions.
Examples of How to Add Fractions
Now, let’s proceed to add these two fractions:
2/4 + 6/4
By utilizing the procedures mentioned above, you will see that they share equivalent denominators. Lucky you, this means you can skip the initial step. Now, all you have to do is add the numerators and allow it to be the same denominator as it was.
2/4 + 6/4 = 8/4
Now, let’s try to simplify the fraction. We can perceive that this is an improper fraction, as the numerator is larger than the denominator. This might suggest that you could simplify the fraction, but this is not possible when we deal with proper and improper fractions.
In this example, the numerator and denominator can be divided by 4, its most common denominator. You will get a final result of 2 by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2.
As long as you follow these steps when dividing two or more fractions, you’ll be a professional at adding fractions in a matter of time.
Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
The procedure will require an extra step when you add or subtract fractions with dissimilar denominators. To do this function with two or more fractions, they must have the same denominator.
The Steps to Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
As we mentioned above, to add unlike fractions, you must follow all three procedures mentioned prior to transform these unlike denominators into equivalent fractions
Examples of How to Add Fractions with Unlike Denominators
At this point, we will concentrate on another example by adding the following fractions:
1/6+2/3+6/4
As you can see, the denominators are different, and the least common multiple is 12. Hence, we multiply every fraction by a number to attain the denominator of 12.
1/6 * 2 = 2/12
2/3 * 4 = 8/12
6/4 * 3 = 18/12
Since all the fractions have a common denominator, we will go forward to add the numerators:
2/12 + 8/12 + 18/12 = 28/12
We simplify the fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by 4, coming to the ultimate result of 7/3.
Adding Mixed Numbers
We have mentioned like and unlike fractions, but presently we will go through mixed fractions. These are fractions accompanied by whole numbers.
The Steps to Adding Mixed Numbers
To work out addition sums with mixed numbers, you must start by turning the mixed number into a fraction. Here are the procedures and keep reading for an example.
Step 1
Multiply the whole number by the numerator
Step 2
Add that number to the numerator.
Step 3
Take down your result as a numerator and keep the denominator.
Now, you go ahead by adding these unlike fractions as you generally would.
Examples of How to Add Mixed Numbers
As an example, we will work with 1 3/4 + 5/4.
First, let’s convert the mixed number into a fraction. You are required to multiply the whole number by the denominator, which is 4. 1 = 4/4
Then, add the whole number described as a fraction to the other fraction in the mixed number.
4/4 + 3/4 = 7/4
You will conclude with this result:
7/4 + 5/4
By adding the numerators with the same denominator, we will have a ultimate result of 12/4. We simplify the fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 4, ensuing in 3 as a final result.
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