How do you do adding fractions? - Answers

If you have two common denominators (the bottom number of the fraction), then all you have to do is add the top numbers and keep the bottom number the same and do not add them if the bottom numbers are the same. Ex1. 2/5 + 1/5 = 3/5 but also say if you have the two denominators the same but the numerators (top number of the fraction) equal the same as the denominator, then you now have a whole number which is always equal to 1. Ex2. 3/4 + 1/4= 4/4 = 1 Also another thing is if you have the denominators the same but when you add the numerators, and they equal a number over the denominator, this is called an improper fraction. Ex3. 2/3 + 2/3 = 4/3. after this happens, to make it into a proper fraction, you divide your denominator into your numerator and whatever is left over, you put over what you divided by.Ex4. 4/3 = 1 1/3. If you end up with a number that can be simplified (broken into its simplest form), you can either divide the denominator by the numerator, or you can divide each number by the biggest number they have in common. Ex5. 2/8 + 4/8 = 6/8 = 3/4 (if you divide each number by 2) If you get a fraction with it to be needing simplified, but is also an improper fraction, you first simplify it, then you make it into a mixed number ( Ex of mixed number = 1 2/3 ) Ex6. 5/8 + 7/8 = 12/8( divide by 4)= 3/2 = 1 1/2 Now that you have mastered that, we move on into unlike denominators. To find the denominator, you have to find the first number that each denominator has in common with each other. Ex7. 1/3 + 1/2 = 5/6. the first number that 2 & 3 had in common was a 6. So that is the number you always use. If you have the fraction needing to be simplified with unlike denominators, you first find their common number, then divide each number by the number that each has in common, but in this case, if it is already simplified, make it into a mixed number dividing the numerator by the denominator. Ex8. 1/2+ 2/3 = 7/6 = 1 1/6.