Fraction Operations Made Simple
Adding and subtracting fractions requires finding a common denominator first. For 4/5 + 6/7, you'll multiply to get equivalent fractions with the same bottom number: 28/35 + 30/35 = 58/35. Convert improper fractions like this to mixed numbers (1 23/35).
When subtracting fractions like 9/10 - 3/5, change 3/5 to 6/10 so both fractions have the same denominator. Then simply subtract the numerators: 9/10 - 6/10 = 3/10.
Multiplying fractions is surprisingly straightforward - just multiply straight across! For 4/3 × 6/9, multiply numerators (4 × 6 = 24) and denominators (3 × 9 = 27) to get 24/27, which simplifies to 8/9.
The trick for dividing fractions is "keep, flip, change." Keep the first fraction, flip the second fraction upside down, then change division to multiplication. So 3/4 ÷ 5/6 becomes 3/4 × 6/5 = 18/20 = 9/10.
Top Tip: Always simplify your final answer by finding common factors and dividing both the numerator and denominator by them.