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Adding Unlike Fractions

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Adding Unlike Fractions

Adding Unlike Fractions

Fraction strips and circles illustration

🔍 Part 1: Understanding Unlike Fractions

1. Circle the pairs that show unlike fractions (fractions with different denominators):

1/3 + 1/4

2/5 + 3/5

1/2 + 1/6

3/8 + 1/8

2/3 + 1/4

2. Why do we need a common denominator to add unlike fractions?

🧮 Part 2: Finding Common Denominators

3. Find the common denominator for each pair of fractions:

a) 1/3 and 1/4 → Common denominator: _______

b) 1/2 and 1/6 → Common denominator: _______

c) 2/5 and 1/3 → Common denominator: _______

d) 3/4 and 1/8 → Common denominator: _______

4. Convert these fractions to equivalent fractions with the given common denominator:

a) 1/3 = ___/12 and 1/4 = ___/12

b) 1/2 = ___/6 and 1/6 = ___/6

c) 2/5 = ___/15 and 1/3 = ___/15

➕ Part 3: Adding Unlike Fractions

5. Solve these addition problems. Show your working in the boxes below:

a) 1/3 + 1/4 = _______

b) 1/2 + 1/6 = _______

c) 2/5 + 1/3 = _______

d) 3/4 + 1/8 = _______

6. Which of these answers can be simplified? Circle the correct answer:

7/12 from question 5a

4/6 from question 5b

11/15 from question 5c

7/8 from question 5d

🎨 Part 4: Visual Representations

7. Draw fraction strips or circles to show 1/4 + 1/3. Use different colours for each fraction:
8. Explain how your drawing shows that 1/4 + 1/3 = 7/12:

🍰 Part 5: Real-Life Problems

9. Sarah ate 1/3 of a chocolate cake and Tom ate 1/4 of the same cake. What fraction of the cake did they eat altogether?

Answer: They ate _______ of the cake altogether.

10. A recipe calls for 2/5 cup of flour and 1/6 cup of sugar. How many cups of dry ingredients is this in total?

Answer: _______ cups of dry ingredients in total.

11. Match the addition problems with their correct answers:
1. 1/2 + 1/3
2. 1/4 + 1/6
3. 2/3 + 1/4
4. 3/5 + 1/10
A. 5/12
B. 11/12
C. 5/6
D. 7/10

🏆 Part 6: Challenge Questions

12. Add three unlike fractions: 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/6

Answer: _______

13. Fill in the missing fraction: 1/4 + _______ = 7/12
14. Create your own unlike fraction addition problem and solve it:

My problem: _______ + _______ = _______

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