How to Add Fractions: Examples and Steps
Adding fractions is a usual math problem that students study in school. It can seem scary at first, but it turns simple with a shred 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, provide examples to see what must be done. Adding fractions is essential for various subjects as you move ahead in math and science, so be sure to adopt these skills initially!
The Procedures for Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is a skill that numerous children have difficulty with. Nevertheless, it is a somewhat easy process once you grasp the fundamental principles. There are three primary steps to adding fractions: determining a common denominator, adding the numerators, and streamlining the answer. Let’s carefully analyze every one of these steps, and then we’ll look into some examples.
Step 1: Determining a Common Denominator
With these helpful points, you’ll be adding fractions like a pro in an instant! The first step is to determine a common denominator for the two fractions you are adding. The smallest common denominator is the lowest number that both fractions will split uniformly.
If the fractions you want to sum share the identical denominator, you can skip this step. If not, to find the common denominator, you can determine the number of the factors of each number until you determine a common one.
For example, let’s say we wish to add the fractions 1/3 and 1/6. The lowest common denominator for these two fractions is six in view of the fact that both denominators will split evenly 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 acquired the common denominator, the following step is to turn 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 exact number necessary to attain the common denominator.
Subsequently the previous example, six will become the common denominator. To change the numerators, we will multiply 1/3 by 2 to get 2/6, while 1/6 would 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 Results
The final step is to simplify the fraction. As a result, it means we are required to reduce the fraction to its minimum terms. To accomplish this, we search for the most common factor of the numerator and denominator and divide them by it. In our example, the largest 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 exact 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 steps above, you will observe that they share the same denominators. Lucky for you, this means you can skip the initial step. Now, all you have to do is add the numerators and leave 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 larger than the denominator. This may suggest that you could 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 conclusive answer of 2 by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2.
Provided that you go by these procedures when dividing two or more fractions, you’ll be a expert at adding fractions in no time.
Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
This process will need an additional step when you add or subtract fractions with distinct 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 stated above, to add unlike fractions, you must follow all three procedures mentioned prior to change these unlike denominators into equivalent fractions
Examples of How to Add Fractions with Unlike Denominators
At this point, we will put more emphasis on another example by adding the following fractions:
1/6+2/3+6/4
As demonstrated, the denominators are distinct, and the least common multiple is 12. Thus, we multiply each fraction by a number to achieve the denominator of 12.
1/6 * 2 = 2/12
2/3 * 4 = 8/12
6/4 * 3 = 18/12
Considering that all the fractions have a common denominator, we will move ahead to total 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 final answer of 7/3.
Adding Mixed Numbers
We have talked about 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 exercises with mixed numbers, you must start by turning 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
Note down your result as a numerator and keep the denominator.
Now, you move forward 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.
First, 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
Next, 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 final answer of 12/4. We simplify the fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 4, resulting in 3 as a conclusive answer.
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