Basic Operations with Fractions

1. Adding and subtracting fractions: 2 1 7 1

Ex 1a: + Ex 1b: -
• Get a common denominator 3 4 8 2
7 4
• Add or subtract the numerators 8 3
= + = -
8 8
• Keep the denominator the same 12 12
3
11 =
=
12 8

2. Multiplying fractions: æ 3 öæ 2 ö æ 3 öæ 1 ö
Ex 2a: ç ÷ç ÷ Ex 2b: çè 5 ÷øçè 6 ÷ø
• Multiply across, then reduce è 8 øè 3 ø
1
OR =
6 æ 3 öæ 1 ö
ç ÷ç ÷
• Reduce early, then multiply across 24 è 5 øè 6 ø2
1 1
=
4 10

3. Dividing fractions: 9 3
• Rewrite as multiplication problem Ex 3: ÷
16 4
• K eep the first fraction 9 æ4ö
= ç ÷
• F lip the second fraction (reciprocal) 16 è 3 ø
• C hange divide to multiply =
36 3
=
48 4
 Practice Problems
2 2 5 3 1
1) + 2) + +
3 5 6 4 2

10 9 6
10 6 + +
+ 12 12 12
15 15

19 6
16 1 +
=1 12 12
15 15

25
=2 1
12 12
 Practice Problems
5 3 11 2 1
3) - 4) - +
6 5 12 3 4

11 8 3
25 18 - +
- 12 12 12
30 30
3 3
7 +
12 12
30
6 1
=
12 2
 Practice Problems
æ 5 öæ 3 ö æ 4 öæ 2 ö 11
5) ç ÷ç ÷ 6) ç ÷ç ÷ +
è 9 øè 8 ø è 5 øè 3 ø 15

8 11
æ 5 öæ 31 ö +
çç ÷÷ç ÷ 15 15
è 93 øè 8 ø
19 4
5 =1
15 15
24
 Practice Problems
3
3 5
7) 7 3
÷ 8) 4
= ÷
8 4 5 4 6
6
1 3æ6ö
3
7æ4ö
ç ÷ ç ÷
2 8è3ø
2
4è5ø
7 1
=1
6 6 9
10