How to Add Fractions: Steps and Examples
Adding fractions is a regular math operation that children learn in school. It can appear daunting initially, but it turns easy with a bit of practice.
This blog post will walk you through the procedure of adding two or more fractions and adding mixed fractions. We will ,on top of that, give examples to show what must be done. Adding fractions is crucial for several subjects as you progress in math and science, so ensure to learn these skills initially!
The Procedures for Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is a skill that numerous kids struggle with. However, it is a somewhat hassle-free process once you master the basic principles. There are three main steps to adding fractions: finding a common denominator, adding the numerators, and simplifying the results. Let’s closely study every one of these steps, and then we’ll look into some examples.
Step 1: Determining a Common Denominator
With these valuable points, you’ll be adding fractions like a expert in no time! The first step is to determine a common denominator for the two fractions you are adding. The smallest common denominator is the minimum number that both fractions will share uniformly.
If the fractions you desire to add share the equal denominator, you can avoid this step. If not, to determine the common denominator, you can determine the amount of the factors of each number until you look for a common one.
For example, let’s say we desire to add the fractions 1/3 and 1/6. The lowest common denominator for these two fractions is six because both denominators will split uniformly into that number.
Here’s a good tip: if you are unsure about this process, you can multiply both denominators, and you will [[also|subsequently80] get a common denominator, which should be 18.
Step Two: Adding the Numerators
Once you have the common denominator, the immediate step is to convert each fraction so that it has that denominator.
To turn these into an equivalent fraction with the same denominator, you will multiply both the denominator and numerator by the identical number required to achieve the common denominator.
Subsequently the previous example, six will become the common denominator. To convert the numerators, we will multiply 1/3 by 2 to attain 2/6, while 1/6 will stay the same.
Considering that both the fractions share common denominators, we can add the numerators collectively to attain 3/6, a proper fraction that we will be moving forward to simplify.
Step Three: Streamlining the Answers
The final process is to simplify the fraction. As a result, it means we need to diminish the fraction to its lowest terms. To achieve this, we search 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 go by the same process to add and subtract fractions.
Examples of How to Add Fractions
Now, let’s continue to add these two fractions:
2/4 + 6/4
By utilizing the steps above, you will notice that they share identical denominators. Lucky for you, this means you can avoid the initial stage. At the moment, all you have to do is sum of the numerators and let it be the same denominator as it was.
2/4 + 6/4 = 8/4
Now, let’s try to simplify the fraction. We can see that this is an improper fraction, as the numerator is higher than the denominator. This might suggest that you could simplify the fraction, but this is not feasible when we work 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 conclusive result of 2 by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2.
As long as you go by these steps when dividing two or more fractions, you’ll be a expert at adding fractions in no time.
Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
The procedure will need an supplementary step when you add or subtract fractions with dissimilar denominators. To do this function with two or more fractions, they must have the identical denominator.
The Steps to Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
As we have said above, to add unlike fractions, you must follow all three steps mentioned above to change these unlike denominators into equivalent fractions
Examples of How to Add Fractions with Unlike Denominators
Here, we will concentrate on another example by summing up the following fractions:
1/6+2/3+6/4
As you can see, the denominators are different, and the lowest common multiple is 12. Therefore, we multiply each fraction by a value to achieve 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 proceed to add the numerators:
2/12 + 8/12 + 18/12 = 28/12
We simplify the fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by 4, finding a ultimate answer of 7/3.
Adding Mixed Numbers
We have talked about like and unlike fractions, but presently we will touch upon mixed fractions. These are fractions followed by whole numbers.
The Steps to Adding Mixed Numbers
To solve addition problems with mixed numbers, you must initiate 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
Note down your result as a numerator and retain the denominator.
Now, you proceed by summing these unlike fractions as you normally would.
Examples of How to Add Mixed Numbers
As an example, we will work out 1 3/4 + 5/4.
Foremost, let’s change the mixed number into a fraction. You will need to multiply the whole number by the denominator, which is 4. 1 = 4/4
Then, add the whole number represented as a fraction to the other fraction in the mixed number.
4/4 + 3/4 = 7/4
You will be left with this operation:
7/4 + 5/4
By adding the numerators with the similar 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 conclusive result.
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