How to Add Fractions: Examples and Steps
Adding fractions is a usual math application that children study in school. It can look intimidating at first, but it becomes easy with a shred of practice.
This blog post will guide the process of adding two or more fractions and adding mixed fractions. We will ,on top of that, give examples to demonstrate how this is done. Adding fractions is necessary for a lot of subjects as you progress in science and mathematics, so be sure to adopt these skills initially!
The Steps of Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is a skill that a lot of kids have a problem with. However, it is a relatively hassle-free process once you grasp the fundamental principles. There are three primary steps to adding fractions: finding a common denominator, adding the numerators, and simplifying the results. Let’s take a closer look at each of these steps, and then we’ll look into some examples.
Step 1: Finding a Common Denominator
With these helpful tips, you’ll be adding fractions like a professional in no time! The initial step is to look for a common denominator for the two fractions you are adding. The smallest common denominator is the minimum number that both fractions will share evenly.
If the fractions you wish to add share the equal denominator, you can avoid this step. If not, to find the common denominator, you can determine the number of the factors of each number as far as you find a common one.
For example, let’s assume we wish to add the fractions 1/3 and 1/6. The smallest common denominator for these two fractions is six for the reason that both denominators will split equally into that number.
Here’s a quick tip: if you are uncertain 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
Now that you acquired the common denominator, the next step is to turn each fraction so that it has that denominator.
To turn these into an equivalent fraction with an identical denominator, you will multiply both the denominator and numerator by the same number required to get the common denominator.
Following the previous example, 6 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 together to attain 3/6, a proper fraction that we will continue to simplify.
Step Three: Streamlining the Answers
The final process is to simplify the fraction. Doing so means we are required to lower the fraction to its lowest terms. To accomplish this, we find 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 concluding answer of 1/2.
You follow the same process to add and subtract fractions.
Examples of How to Add Fractions
Now, let’s move forward to add these two fractions:
2/4 + 6/4
By applying the procedures mentioned above, you will notice that they share equivalent denominators. Lucky for you, this means you can skip the first step. Now, 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 attempt to simplify the fraction. We can perceive 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 possible when we deal 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 final 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 pro 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 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 mentioned above, to add unlike fractions, you must obey all three steps stated prior to convert 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 least common multiple is 12. Thus, 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 proceed to add the numerators:
2/12 + 8/12 + 18/12 = 28/12
We simplify the fraction by splitting the numerator and denominator by 4, coming to the ultimate result of 7/3.
Adding Mixed Numbers
We have discussed like and unlike fractions, but now we will touch upon mixed fractions. These are fractions followed by whole numbers.
The Steps to Adding Mixed Numbers
To work out addition exercises with mixed numbers, you must initiate 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
Take down your answer as a numerator and retain the denominator.
Now, you move forward 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 change the mixed number into a fraction. You are required 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 end up with this operation:
7/4 + 5/4
By summing the numerators with the same denominator, we will have a conclusive result 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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