Adding Fractions

How to add fractions:
1. If the number is a mixed number change it into an improper fraction
2. find a common denominator. Do this by by finding the LCM between the denominators and multiplying the numerator and denominator by the number that you need to multiply to get the LCM.
3. Now that you have common denominators, add the numerators of your fractions.
4. If you end up with an improper fraction change the answer back into a mixed number.
Example:

How to change a mixed number to a improper fraction and vise versa

To change a mixed number to a improper faction:
1. Identify the whole number and the fraction
2. Multiply the whole number by the denominator in the fraction.
3. Add that result to the numerator in the fraction. (keeping the original denominator)
4.  The result will be an improper fraction

To change an improper fraction to a mixed number:
1. Divide the denominator by the numerator.
2. That answer becomes the whole number.
3. What ever is the remainder of the division is the new numerator of the fraction and the denominator stays the same.

How to multiply fractions

1. Make sure that your fractions are improper fractions.

2. Look for any values in the numerators to cancel with any values in the denominator. Reduce accordingly.

3. Multiply across. Multiply the numerators by each other and the denominators by each other.

4. Look for any simplification you may have missed.

5. You may need to put the number back into a mixed fraction.

Easy Example                      Harder Example