How To Add and Subtract Fractions
- December 4, 2009
- 1,073 Views
Writer
Randall Frost
Music
Edison Music Corp
Voice Over Artist
Robyn Ferrari
Once you know the trick to adding and subtracting fractions with different denominators, you’ll have no problem with these problems.
You Will Need
- Two fractions
- A pencil and paper
Step 1: Add fractions with same denominator
Add or subtract the numerators and keep the same denominator if the fractions have the same denominator.
The numerator is the number on the top, and the denominator the number on the bottom of the fraction.
Step 2: Find a common denominator
Find the lowest common denominator to both fractions if they have different denominators. For example, if you add 1/3 plus 3/8, the least common denominator is 24, since three times eight equals 24.
The lowest common denominator is the smallest common multiple of both denominators.
Step 3: Rewrite the fractions
Rewrite the fractions, using the lowest common denominator. Multiply the numerator by the same number by which you multiplied the denominator.
Step 4: Add or subtract the numerators
Add or subtract the numerators and write the sum over the common denominator. The sum of 9/24 and 8/24 is 17/24. The difference is 1/24.
Step 5: Reduce the fraction
If necessary, reduce the fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by the highest number you can.
A fraction in which the numerator is larger than the denominator is called an improper fraction.
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