How to Add Fractions: Steps and Examples
Adding fractions is a common math problem that kids learn in school. It can look daunting initially, but it turns 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 see what must be done. Adding fractions is essential for several subjects as you progress in science and mathematics, so make sure to adopt these skills early!
The Procedures for Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is an ability that a lot of children have a problem with. Nevertheless, it is a moderately hassle-free process once you grasp the essential principles. There are three major steps to adding fractions: looking for a common denominator, adding the numerators, and streamlining the results. Let’s closely study every one of these steps, and then we’ll work on some examples.
Step 1: Look for a Common Denominator
With these useful points, you’ll be adding fractions like a professional in a flash! 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 divide evenly.
If the fractions you wish to add share the same denominator, you can avoid this step. If not, to find the common denominator, you can list out the factors of each number as far as you determine 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 for the reason that both denominators will divide equally into that number.
Here’s a great tip: if you are not sure regarding this process, you can multiply both denominators, and you will [[also|subsequently80] get a common denominator, which would be 18.
Step Two: Adding the Numerators
Once you have the common denominator, the following step is to convert 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 identical number necessary to achieve the common denominator.
Subsequently the last example, six will become the common denominator. To convert the numerators, we will multiply 1/3 by 2 to get 2/6, while 1/6 will remain the same.
Now that both the fractions share common denominators, we can add the numerators simultaneously to attain 3/6, a proper fraction that we will be moving forward to simplify.
Step Three: Simplifying the Answers
The last step is to simplify the fraction. As a result, it means we need to lower the fraction to its minimum terms. To achieve this, we find the most common factor of the numerator and denominator and divide them by it. In our example, the greatest 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 steps 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 process shown above, you will notice that they share equivalent denominators. Lucky you, this means you can skip the initial step. At the moment, all you have to do is sum of the numerators and leave the same denominator as before.
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 greater than the denominator. This might indicate that you can simplify the fraction, but this is not necessarily the case with proper and improper fractions.
In this instance, the numerator and denominator can be divided by 4, its most common denominator. You will get a ultimate result of 2 by dividing the numerator and denominator by two.
As long as you follow 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 require an supplementary step when you add or subtract fractions with dissimilar denominators. To do these operations with two or more fractions, they must have the same denominator.
The Steps to Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
As we mentioned prior to this, 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 put more emphasis on another example by summing up the following fractions:
1/6+2/3+6/4
As you can see, the denominators are distinct, and the lowest common multiple is 12. Therefore, we multiply every fraction by a number to get the denominator of 12.
1/6 * 2 = 2/12
2/3 * 4 = 8/12
6/4 * 3 = 18/12
Once all the fractions have a common denominator, we will move ahead 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 discussed like and unlike fractions, but now we will go through mixed fractions. These are fractions followed by whole numbers.
The Steps to Adding Mixed Numbers
To figure out addition sums with mixed numbers, you must start by changing the mixed number into a fraction. Here are the steps 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
Write down your answer as a numerator and keep the denominator.
Now, you go ahead by summing 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 transform the mixed number into a fraction. You are required to multiply the whole number by the denominator, which is 4. 1 = 4/4
Thereafter, add the whole number described 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 summing the numerators with the exact denominator, we will have a final answer of 12/4. We simplify the fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 4, resulting in 3 as a conclusive result.
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