How to Add Fractions: Steps and Examples

Adding fractions is a usual math application that kids study in school. It can seem intimidating at first, but it can be simple with a tiny bit of practice.

This blog post will take you through the procedure of adding two or more fractions and adding mixed fractions. We will ,on top of that, provide examples to see how it is done. Adding fractions is crucial for various subjects as you advance in science and mathematics, so be sure to master these skills initially!

The Steps of Adding Fractions

Adding fractions is a skill that a lot of kids have difficulty with. Nevertheless, it is a moderately hassle-free process once you grasp the basic principles. There are three primary steps to adding fractions: determining a common denominator, adding the numerators, and streamlining the answer. Let’s carefully analyze each of these steps, and then we’ll look into some examples.

Step 1: Finding a Common Denominator

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

If the fractions you desire to sum share the same denominator, you can skip this step. If not, to determine the common denominator, you can list out the factors of respective number as far as you find a common one.

For example, let’s assume we want to add the fractions 1/3 and 1/6. The lowest common denominator for these two fractions is six because both denominators will divide equally into that number.

Here’s a great tip: if you are unsure 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 possess the common denominator, the next step is to turn 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 same number needed to attain the common denominator.

Subsequently the previous example, 6 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.

Now that both the fractions share common denominators, we can add the numerators together to get 3/6, a proper fraction that we will continue to simplify.

Step Three: Simplifying the Answers

The last step is to simplify the fraction. Doing so means we need to reduce 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 greatest common factor of 3 and 6 is 3. When we divide both numbers by 3, we get the concluding result of 1/2.

You follow the same process 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 applying the procedures mentioned above, you will notice that they share equivalent denominators. Lucky you, this means you can avoid the initial stage. At the moment, 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 attempt to simplify the fraction. We can see that this is an improper fraction, as the numerator is larger than the denominator. This may indicate 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 ultimate answer of 2 by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2.

As long as you go by these procedures when dividing two or more fractions, you’ll be a professional at adding fractions in matter of days.

Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators

The procedure will need an extra step when you add or subtract fractions with different denominators. To do these operations with two or more fractions, they must have the exact denominator.

The Steps to Adding Fractions with Unlike Denominators

As we have said prior to this, to add unlike fractions, you must obey all three procedures stated prior to transform these unlike denominators into equivalent fractions

Examples of How to Add Fractions with Unlike Denominators

At this point, we will focus on another example by summing up the following fractions:

1/6+2/3+6/4

As shown, the denominators are distinct, and the lowest common multiple is 12. Hence, we multiply each fraction by a value 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 go forward to total the numerators:

2/12 + 8/12 + 18/12 = 28/12

We simplify the fraction by splitting the numerator and denominator by 4, concluding with a final answer of 7/3.

Adding Mixed Numbers

We have discussed like and unlike fractions, but now we will revise through mixed fractions. These are fractions accompanied by whole numbers.

The Steps to Adding Mixed Numbers

To solve addition problems with mixed numbers, you must start 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 answer as a numerator and retain the denominator.

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

Examples of How to Add Mixed Numbers

As an example, we will work with 1 3/4 + 5/4.

First, let’s convert 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 conclude with this result:

7/4 + 5/4

By adding 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, ensuing in 3 as a conclusive answer.

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