How to Add Fractions: Steps and Examples

Adding fractions is a common math operation that students study in school. It can look daunting at first, but it becomes simple with a tiny bit of practice.

This blog post will guide the procedure of adding two or more fractions and adding mixed fractions. We will also give examples to show how it is done. Adding fractions is necessary for several subjects as you move ahead in science and mathematics, so be sure to adopt these skills early!

The Procedures for Adding Fractions

Adding fractions is a skill that numerous kids have difficulty with. However, it is a somewhat easy process once you master the basic principles. There are three major steps to adding fractions: looking for 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 do some examples.

Step 1: Finding a Common Denominator

With these helpful points, you’ll be adding fractions like a pro in an instant! The initial step is to determine a common denominator for the two fractions you are adding. The least common denominator is the lowest number that both fractions will split evenly.

If the fractions you desire to add share the identical denominator, you can avoid this step. If not, to look for the common denominator, you can list out 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 in view of the fact that both denominators will split equally into that number.

Here’s a quick 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

Once you acquired the common denominator, the next step is to change each fraction so that it has that denominator.

To change these into an equivalent fraction with the exact denominator, you will multiply both the denominator and numerator by the identical number necessary to attain the common denominator.

Following 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 will stay the same.

Since 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 process is to simplify the fraction. Doing so means we need to lower the fraction to its lowest 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 final answer of 1/2.

You follow the exact 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 procedures mentioned above, you will observe that they share the same denominators. You are lucky, this means you can skip the initial stage. At the moment, 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 notice 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 example, 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.

Considering 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 distinct 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 before this, to add unlike fractions, you must obey all three procedures stated above to transform 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 get 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 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, finding a final answer of 7/3.

Adding Mixed Numbers

We have discussed 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 figure out addition sums with mixed numbers, you must initiate by changing 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

Write down your result as a numerator and keep the denominator.

Now, you proceed by adding these unlike fractions as you normally would.

Examples of How to Add Mixed Numbers

As an example, we will solve 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

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 end up with this operation:

7/4 + 5/4

By summing the numerators with the exact denominator, we will have a conclusive answer of 12/4. We simplify the fraction by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 4, ensuing in 3 as a final answer.

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