Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
S k ill
in
ARITHMETIC
Table of Contents | Home | Introduction
372
Lesson 25
Section 2
1/7
21.)
4 tenths + 5 tenths = 9 tenths.
1. How do we add or subtract fractions?
The names of what we are adding or subtracting -- the denominators -- must be the same.
Add or subtract only the numerators, and keep that same denominator.
Example 1.
5 2 7
+ = .
8 8 8
The denominator of a fraction has but one function, which is to name what we are counting. In
this example, we are counting eighths.
Example 2.
5 2 3
= .
8 8 8
g and12/14/12
subtracting f ractions and mixed numbers-- A complete course in arithmetic
2 1
+ .
3 4
Solution. The lowest common multiple of 3 and 4 is their product, 12. (See Lesson 22, Question
4.)
We will convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction with denominator 12.
2 1
8
3
+ =
+
3 4 12 12
=
We converted
11
.
12
2 8
to
by saying, "3 goes into 12 four times. Four times
3 12
2 is 8."
(In that way, we multiplied both 2 and 3 by the same number, namely 4. See Lesson 22,
Question 3.)
We converted
1 3
to
by saying, "4 goes into 12 three times. Three
4 12
4
2
+
5 15
3/7
g and12/14/12
subtracting f ractions and mixed numbers-- A complete course in arithmetic
4 12
to
by saying, "5 goes into 15 three times. Three
5 15
times 4 is 12."
We did not change
2
, because we are not changing the denominator
15
15.
Example 5.
2 1 7
+ +
3 6 12
2 1 7
17
+ +
=
3 6 12 12
2 1 7
5
+ +
= 1 .
3 6 12
12
We converted
2
8
to
by saying, "3 goes into 12 four times. Four
3
12
times 2 is 8."
We converted
1
2
to
by saying, "6 goes into 12 two times. Two
6
12
times 1 is 2."
We did not change 7 , because we are not changing the
12
denominator 12.
Finally, we changed the improper fraction
17
5
to 1
by dividing 17
12
12
4/7
g and12/14/12
subtracting f ractions and mixed numbers-- A complete course in arithmetic
Example 6.
5 7
+
6 9
5
15
to
by multiplying both terms by 3.
6
18
We changed
7
14
to
by multiplying both terms by 2.
9
18
1 1
+ .
2 4
1
1
is how many 's?
2
4
1
2
= .
2
4
Example 8. In a recent exam, one eighth of the students got A, two fifths got B, and the rest got
C. What fraction got C?
Solution. Let 1 represent the whole number of students. Then the question is:
www.themathpage.com/ARITH/add-f ractions-subtract-f ractions-1.htm
5/7
g and12/14/12
subtracting f ractions and mixed numbers-- A complete course in arithmetic
1 2
+ + ? = 1.
8 5
Now,
1
2
5 + 16
21
+ =
=
.
8
5
40
40
The rest, the fraction that got C, is the complement of
It is
4.
21
.
40
19
.
40
Example 9.
Example 10.
3
2
5
+ 2 = 6 .
8
8
8
3
2
4
6
+ 1 = 4 .
5
5
5
6
But is improper, we must change it to a mixed number:
5
46
1
=1 .
5
Free Downloader
Search 5 YouTube
Therefore,
6
1
1
= 4+1 = 5 .
5
5
5
Solution. When the denominators are different, we may arrange the work vertically; although that
is not necessary.
To add the fractions, the denominators must be the same. The LCM
6/7
g and12/14/12
subtracting f ractions and mixed numbers-- A complete course in arithmetic
We added 6 + 3 = 9.
3
6
to -- by multiplying both terms by 2:
4
8
6 5 11
3
+ = =1 .
8 8 8
8
3
3
9 + 1 = 10 .
8
8
7/7