KS3

How to add fractions

Part ofMathsFractions

A fraction is made up of two parts. A numerator (the top number) and a denominator (the bottom number).
When adding fractions, the denominator must be the same - there must be a common denominator.

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Click to see a step-by-step slideshow.
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STEP 1 - When adding fractions it can be useful to visualise it. Draw a square with 4 columns and shade in one of the columns. This represents ¹/₄
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STEP 2 - Draw a second square with 3 rows and shade in one of the rows. This represents ¹/₃
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STEP 3 - Divide the first square into 3 rows. 3 is the denominator of the second fraction.
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STEP 4 - Divide the second square into 4 columns. 4 is the denominator of the first fraction.
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STEP 5 - Count the coloured sections and rewrite the fractions. The first is ³/₁₂ and the second is ⁴/₁₂
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STEP 6 - Now that we have the common denominator for both fractions (12) it is simple to add them. Add 3 to 4, making 7. The answer is ⁷/₁₂

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