{"id":212,"date":"2015-12-11T23:33:24","date_gmt":"2015-12-11T23:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.earth-site.co.uk\/Education\/?page_id=212"},"modified":"2025-09-13T13:20:56","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T12:20:56","slug":"fractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.earth-site.co.uk\/Education\/fractions\/","title":{"rendered":"Fractions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"CenterPaneLayer\">\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><i>Fractions another way of saying a part of something.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"line-height:115%; font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#What-are-fractions\">What are fractions?<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Calculating-Fractions\">Calculating Fractions<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Equivalent-Fractions\">Equivalent Fractions<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Simplifying-or-Reducing-Fractions\">Simplifying or Reducing  Fractions<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Improper-Fractions\">Improper Fractions<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Adding-Fractions\">Adding Fractions<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Adding-Fractions-with-same-denominator\">Adding Fractions with the  Same Denominator<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Adding-Fractions-with-Different-Denominators\">Adding Fractions with Different Denominators<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Subtracting-Fractions\">Subtracting Fractions<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Subtracting-Fractions-with-the-Same-Denominator\">Subtracting Fractions with  the Same Denominator<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a href=\"#Subtracting-Fractions-with-Different-Denominators\">Subtracting Fractions with  Different Denominators<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"What-are-fractions\" id=\"What-are-fractions\"><\/a>What are fractions?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">A  fraction is another way of saying a part of something. If you had a pie and cut  it so you had 4 equal amounts then you would have cut it into quarters. If you  then ate one of those quarters you would have 3 quarters (3\/4) left which is a  fraction of the original cake. Three quarters is written as a fraction below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"76\" height=\"90\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/three quaters.png\" alt=\"three quarters.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">The  top number is known as a numerator while the bottom number is called a  denominator.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Calculating-Fractions\" id=\"Calculating-Fractions\"><\/a>Calculating Fractions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">What  if you had &pound;500 and you had to pay 1\/5 in tax leaving 4\/5 to be divided between  you and your business partner. So how would you calculate how much you would  get? First you would divide &pound;500 into fifths which is 5 lots of &pound;100. One fifth  (or &pound;100) would be given to the tax man while you and your business partner get  2 fifths each, so that&rsquo;s 2 lots of &pound;100. Therefore 2\/5 of &pound;500 is &pound;200.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">Now  try 2\/3 of &pound;21. First we divide 21 by 3 giving us 7 and then we multiply the 7  by 2 giving us 14. So 2\/3 of &pound;21 is &pound;14.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><a title=\"Calculating Fractions Test\" href=\"calculating-fractions-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><span class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><a name=\"Equivalent-Fractions\" id=\"Equivalent-Fractions\"><\/a><\/span>Equivalent Fractions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">An  equivalent fraction is when the comparability of&nbsp; the numerator (top number) and the denominator  (the bottom number)&nbsp; of two fractions are  the same.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">Let&rsquo;s  take two seemingly different fractions. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"296\" height=\"89\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Equivalent Fractions 1.png\" alt=\"Equivalent Fractions 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">At  first sight these two fractions may seem to have no connection but a second  look may reveal that the numerator and denominator of the second fraction is  the same as the first, just multiplied by three (2 x 3 = 6 and 3 x 3 = 9). So  why is this important? Well the two fractions amount to the same thing as shown  below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"592\" height=\"243\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Equivalent Fractions 2.png\" alt=\"Equivalent Fractions 2.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">So  although the two fractions appeared to be different they actually amount to the  same thing. When this happens we say that they are equivalent fractions.&nbsp; <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><a title=\"Equivalent Fractions Test\" href=\"equivalent-fractions-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Simplifying-or-Reducing-Fractions\" id=\"Simplifying-or-Reducing-Fractions\"><\/a>Simplifying or Reducing  Fractions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">Sometimes  fractions can look rather large and complicated such as:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"76\" height=\"70\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/fraction 54 81.png\" alt=\"fraction 54 81.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">So  is there a way of making a fraction like this easier to understand or manage?  Well Yes. Look again at the numbers and you may notice that both the numerator  and denominator are both divisible by 9. This means that they have an  equivalent fraction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"291\" height=\"88\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Equivalent Fractions 3.png\" alt=\"Simplifying Fractions 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">That  looks much simpler but is it possible to reduce the number further and making  the fraction even simpler. As we have seen above, in the equivalency section,  6\/9 does have a smaller equivalent fraction as both the numerator, the 6, and  the denominator, 9, are divisible by 3.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"287\" height=\"78\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Simplifying Fractions 2.png\" alt=\"Simplifying Fractions 2.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">That seems much easier to manage.  The fraction of 54\/81 is the same fraction as 2\/3. But can we reduce it  further? No. We can divide the numerator, 2, by 2 and we get one but if we try  the same with the denominator, 3, we would end up with 1.5 and numerators and  denominators have to be whole numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">So  we have found the lowest equivalent fraction of 54\/81 which makes it easier to  manage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><a title=\"Simplifying  or Reducing Fractions Test\" href=\"simplifying-fractions-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Improper-Fractions\" id=\"Improper-Fractions\"><\/a>Improper Fractions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">Improper  fractions are when the numerator is larger than the denominator.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">For  example <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"75\" height=\"70\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Nine sixths.png\" alt=\"Nine sixths.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">This  looks rather difficult at first site but is actually quite simple.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">The  denominator indicates the how many pieces the whole is divided by and the  numerator indicates the amount of those pieces present. So if a pie was cut  into six sections, but there were 9 pieces in total, then six of the sections  would make one whole pie and another pie would be required for the remaining  three pieces.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"240\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Improper Fractions 1.png\" alt=\"Improper Fractions 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">This  makes the improper fraction of 9\/6 the equivalent of one whole and a half.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earth-site.co.uk\/Education\/Tests\/improper-fractions-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Adding-Fractions\" id=\"Adding-Fractions\"><\/a>Adding Fractions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Adding-Fractions-with-same-denominator\" id=\"Adding-Fractions-with-same-denominator\"><\/a>Adding Fractions with the  same denominator<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">If  you had two sets of fractions and wanted to know how much you had in total you  would need to add the fractions together. If you had two cakes that had been  cut into 8 portions each and one cake had six pieces eaten leaving 2\/8&rsquo;s while  another had four pieces eaten leaving 4\/8&rsquo;s, what fraction of whole cakes are  remaining.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"562\" height=\"245\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 1.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">To  add the fractions together you simply add the two top numbers together (the top  numbers are known as numerators while the bottom numbers are called  denominators).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">So 2\/8 plus  4\/8 equals 6\/8<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"253\" height=\"222\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 2.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 2.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><a title=\"Adding Fractions with the Same Denominator Test\" href=\"adding-fractions-with-the-same-denominator-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Adding-Fractions-with-Different-Denominators\" id=\"Adding-Fractions-with-Different-Denominators\"><\/a>Adding Fractions with Different Denominators<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">Adding  fractions together when the denominators are the same is relatively simple but  things get a little trickier when they denominators are different.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"558\" height=\"246\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 3.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 3.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">The  first thing you need to do is make both denominators the same and to do this we  need to <strong>Find The Lowest Denominator<\/strong>.  This means finding the lowest common multiple of both denominators. To do this  you can list the multiples of each number and find the number that appears in  both lists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"447\" height=\"87\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Lowest Common Denominator 1.png\" alt=\"Lowest Common Denominator 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">So  in this case the lowest common denominator is 15 and this becomes the  denominator for both pies. To calculate the numerators you must do the same to  each of them as you did to the denominator. So in the case of the first pie you  had to multiply the denominator by 5 to get 15 (3 X 5 = 15) and so you must  times the numerator also by 5 the first fraction becomes<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"371\" height=\"193\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 4.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 4.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">And the  second denominator needed to be multiplied by 3 (5X3 =15) to make 15 so the  numerator, 2, also needs to be multiplied by 3 making six so the second  fraction becomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"359\" height=\"187\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 5.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 5.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">And so the sum becomes <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"586\" height=\"251\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 6.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 6.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">And  the answer is <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"253\" height=\"224\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Adding Fractions 7.png\" alt=\"Adding Fractions 7.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><em><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; color:#7F7F7F; \">You may notice that the lowest common  denominator is the two denominators (3 and 5) multiplied together. This is  often the case unless one denominator is a multiple of the other (say 2 and 4)  in which case the &#8216;lowest common denominator&#8217; is the larger of the two numbers  (so in the case of 2 and 4 the lowest common denominator is 4).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a title=\"Adding Fractions with Different Denominators Test\" href=\"adding-fractions-with-different-denominators-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Subtracting-Fractions\" id=\"Subtracting-Fractions\"><\/a>Subtracting Fractions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Subtracting-Fractions-with-the-Same-Denominator\" id=\"Subtracting-Fractions-with-the-Same-Denominator\"><\/a>Subtracting Fractions with  the Same Denominator<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">If  you wish to subtract one fraction from another and both fractions have the same  denominator than it is very simple. You simply take one of the numerators away  from the other leaving the denominators as they are.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">For  example<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"555\" height=\"171\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Subtracting Fractions 1.png\" alt=\"Subtracting Fractions 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><a title=\"Subtracting Fractions with the Same Denominator Test\" href=\"subtracting-fractions-with-the-same-denominator-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size:14.0pt; \"><a name=\"Subtracting-Fractions-with-Different-Denominators\" id=\"Subtracting-Fractions-with-Different-Denominators\"><\/a>Subtracting Fractions with  Different Denominators<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">If the two  fractions have different denominators then you first need to make the  denominators the same (with the same method as with adding) by finding <strong>the lowest common denominator<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">This  means finding the lowest common multiple of both denominators. To do this you  can list the multiples of each number and find the number that appears in both  lists.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">So if we  are required to calculate the following.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"613\" height=\"235\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Subtracting Fractions 2.png\" alt=\"Subtracting Fractions 2.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">We would  then write out the first few multiples of the denominators.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"443\" height=\"112\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Lowest Common Denominator 2.png\" alt=\"Lowest Common Denominator 2.png\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">From  this we can see that the first number to appear in both sets is the number 6  which is our lowest common denominator.&nbsp;  We therefore need to make each fraction have six as its denominator. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">As  the first fraction of one half would require the denominator (the two) to be  multiplied by three in order to make six we must also multiply the numerator  (the one) by 3 also.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \">Now  for the second fraction of one third. In order to make this denominator (the  three) equal six we must multiply it by two. We must then do the same for the  numerator (the 1) to make 2. We have now changed the sum in to the much more  manageable version of:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"528\" height=\"209\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Fractions\/Subtracting Fractions 3.png\" alt=\"Subtracting Fractions 1.png\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align:justify;\"><em><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; color:#7F7F7F; \">You may notice that the lowest common denominator  is the two denominators (2 and 3) multiplied together. This is often the case  unless one denominator is a multiple of the other (say 2 and 4) in which case  the &#8216;lowest common denominator&#8217; is the larger of the two numbers (so in the case  of 2 and 4 the lowest common denominator is 4).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"><a title=\"Subtracting Fractions with the Same Denominator Test\" href=\"subtracting-fractions-with-the-same-denominator-test\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Education\/Images\/Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" alt=\"Test Your Knowledge small.PNG\" width=\"192\" height=\"57\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-family:'Verdana','sans-serif'; \"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fractions another way of saying a part of something. &nbsp; What are fractions? Calculating Fractions Equivalent Fractions Simplifying or Reducing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7632,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_edit_last":["1"],"_edit_lock":["1707758756:1"],"_wp_page_template":["default"],"ttr_page_title_checkbox":["true"],"ttr_page_foot_checkbox":["true"],"ttr_header_size_select":["None"],"ttr_background_repeat_enable_checkbox":["true"],"ttr_change_header_image_text":[""],"ttr_background_size_select":["None"],"ttr_header_repeat_enable_checkbox":["true"],"ttr_custom_style_text":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":["Fractions"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["Fractions are another way of saying a part of something."],"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":["74"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":["Fractions"],"ampforwp-amp-on-off":["default"],"_thumbnail_id":["7632"],"_et_pb_use_builder":[""],"_et_pb_old_content":[""],"_et_gb_content_width":[""],"ast-featured-img":["disabled"],"theme-transparent-header-meta":[""],"adv-header-id-meta":[""],"stick-header-meta":[""],"footnotes":[""],"_links_to":[""],"_links_to_target":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["137"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["90"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["12"],"_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp":[""],"rank_math_primary_category":["137"],"rank_math_description":["Fractions are another way of saying a part of something."],"rank_math_focus_keyword":["Fractions"],"rank_math_news_sitemap_robots":["index"],"rank_math_robots":["a:1:{i:0;s:5:\"index\";}"],"rank_math_seo_score":["74"],"_wds_opengraph":["a:3:{s:5:\"title\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"description\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"images\";a:1:{i:0;s:0:\"\";}}"],"_wds_twitter":["a:3:{s:5:\"title\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"description\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"images\";a:1:{i:0;s:0:\"\";}}"],"_wds_focus-keywords":["Fractions"],"_wds_title":[""],"_wds_metadesc":["Fractions are another way of saying a part of something."],"_wds_meta-robots-adv":[""],"_wds_meta-robots-nofollow":[""],"_wds_canonical":[""],"_et_dynamic_cached_shortcodes":["a:0:{}"],"_et_dynamic_cached_attributes":["a:0:{}"]},"categories":[137,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fractions","category-maths"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - 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