How to Add Fractions: Steps and Examples
Adding fractions is a regular math problem that children study in school. It can seem intimidating at first, but it can be easy with a shred of practice.
This blog post will guide the steps of adding two or more fractions and adding mixed fractions. We will ,on top of that, give examples to see how it is done. Adding fractions is crucial for various subjects as you advance in math and science, so make sure to adopt these skills initially!
The Steps of Adding Fractions
Adding fractions is a skill that a lot of students have a problem with. Nevertheless, it is a relatively hassle-free process once you understand the essential principles. There are three main steps to adding fractions: looking for a common denominator, adding the numerators, and simplifying the answer. Let’s closely study every one of these steps, and then we’ll work on some examples.
Step 1: Finding a Common Denominator
With these useful tips, you’ll be adding fractions like a professional in a flash! The first 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 divide equally.
If the fractions you desire to add share the same denominator, you can avoid this step. If not, to look for 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 smallest common denominator for these two fractions is six for the reason that both denominators will split uniformly into that number.
Here’s a great tip: if you are not sure about 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 have the common denominator, the following step is to change 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 would stay the same.
Since both the fractions share common denominators, we can add the numerators simultaneously to get 3/6, a proper fraction that we will continue to simplify.
Step Three: Streamlining the Results
The final process is to simplify the fraction. Consequently, it means we need to reduce the fraction to its lowest terms. To obtain this, we find 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 result of 1/2.
You follow the exact steps 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 using the steps above, you will observe that they share identical denominators. Lucky for you, this means you can skip the initial stage. At the moment, all you have to do is sum of 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 perceive that this is an improper fraction, as the numerator is larger than the denominator. This could 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 final result of 2 by dividing the numerator and denominator by two.
Provided that you go by these steps when dividing two or more fractions, you’ll be a professional at adding fractions in a matter of time.
Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
This process will require 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 identical denominator.
The Steps to Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators
As we mentioned above, to add unlike fractions, you must follow 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 adding the following fractions:
1/6+2/3+6/4
As demonstrated, the denominators are dissimilar, and the least common multiple is 12. Thus, we multiply every 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 proceed to total 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 final answer of 7/3.
Adding Mixed Numbers
We have talked about like and unlike fractions, but presently we will revise 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 converting 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 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 solve 1 3/4 + 5/4.
Foremost, 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
Next, 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 result:
7/4 + 5/4
By summing 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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