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Adding and subtracting fractions can be time-consuming because it often involves a few extra steps. This is a really important and commonly-used skill, though. So let's get to it.
Here is .
There is a total of 4 blue fourths, which combine to make 1 whole, so .
Here is .
Now there is a total of 7 blue fifths, which combine to make 1 whole and 2 fifths, so .
The most important thing to remember when adding or subtracting fractions is that we must have a common denominator.
When the denominators are the same, all you have to do is add or subtract the numerators and keep the denominator the same.
Example 1 | |
![]() | Add the numerators |
![]() | Change into an improper fraction |
![]() | Simplify |
![]() | Change to a mixed number |
Example 2 | |
![]() | Subtract the numerators |
![]() | Reduce the fraction |
![]() |
Try adding using pictures.
This can be a little tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a breeze.
To add two fractions with different denominators, we need to convert one or both fractions so they have matching - or common - denominators.
Look Out: when adding fractions, don't fall into the trap of mistakenly adding the denominators together. Here's a quick way to remember: we all know that two halves make one whole. If we made the mistake of adding denominators, we would get ½ + ½ = 2/4 = ½, which is obviously wrong.
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