FOUNDATION LEVEL - BECOMING CONFIDENT

Add & Subtract Fractions

Complete the following fraction calculations
If your answer is an improper fraction
(numerator larger than the denominator),
change it into a mixed number.

Complete these calculations with the same denominator:

Hint: Add or subtract the numerators and keep the denominator the same.

1) 3 2 2) 6 2
+ = – =
7 7 7 9 9 9

3) 5 2 4) 19 9
+ = – =
6 6 20 20

Complete these calculations with different denominators:

Hint: Change the fractions to share a denominator by finding the lowest common multiple of both
denominators. Make sure to multiply the numerators by the same number as their denominators.

5) 1 3 6) 11 1
+ = + = – = – =
4 5 20 20 12 6 12 12

7) 6 3 8) 2 1
+ = – =
7 4 3 9

cgpplus.co.uk
 Add & Subtract Fractions
Complete these addition calculations involving mixed numbers:
Hint: Add the whole numbers first, then the fractions. If you create an improper fraction,
change it to a mixed number and add the whole number to your existing wholes.

9) 3 1 10) 7 2
1 + 1 = 2 + 3 =
5 5 5 9 9

11) 1 3 12) 2 1
4 + 2 = 1 + 2 =
5 4 20 6 7

Complete these subtraction calculations involving mixed numbers:

Hint: If you can’t easily subtract the fractions (e.g. if the first fraction is smaller than the second)
then change both mixed numbers into improper fractions before subtracting.

13) 3 1
2 –1 =
4 4 4

14) 2 4
3 – 1 =
9 9

15) 2 3 3
1 – = – = – =
5 4 5 4 20 20

16) 7
7 2 – =
10

Extension: Can you simplify any of your final fractions?

cgpplus.co.uk