ACTIVITY 14 Connecting Math to Physics

Adding and Subtracting Fractions

The basic operation of division may be illustrated in the form of a fraction. A fraction is a number with
the general form , where a is the numerator and b is the denominator. In this form, the numerator, a,

is divided by the denominator, b. Examples of fractions include

When a number is between zero and one, a fraction may be used instead of a decimal. The numerator is
the number of equal parts in the number out of the total number of parts that make up the whole, the
denominator. For example, the fraction indicates that the number has one part out of two parts total.

The fraction indicates that a number has three parts out of four parts. Any integer that is equal to or

greater than 1 also may be written as a fraction. The number 3 may be written as because
3  1  3. When the numerator and the denominator are the same number, the value of the fraction is
one. This is because a number divided by itself is equal to one; for example,  1.

Like all numbers and variables, fractions may be added together. The number of parts that the fraction
is divided into, the denominator, must be the same when fractions are added. If the denominators of
the fractions are the same, add the numerators and keep the common denominator.

For example,

To subtract fractions with common denominators, subtract the numerators and keep the common
denominator.

For example,

If the denominators are not the same, the fractions must be converted to have the same denominator
prior to addition or subtraction. To do this, multiply the first number by a fraction that consists of the
second fraction’s denominator, and multiply the second number by a fraction that consists of the first
fraction’s denominator. For example,

Remember, if a number is multiplied by 1, its value does not change.

When fractions contain variables, the same procedures used above apply. For example,

Activity 14 Ÿ Connecting Math to Physics

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Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Connecting Math to Physics continued

Form a new fraction using addition or subtraction.

1. 8.

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Activity 14 Ÿ Connecting Math to Physics

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Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.