Add, subtract and find fraction quantities

Working with fractions

Number lines and sharing

By looking at a number line, we can see how adding and subtracting fractions is just like working with whole numbers. The only difference is the intervals on our number line may be different. 

When we need to work out the fraction of of something, it helps to think of sharing that 'something' into equal parts, using the denominator to tell us how many parts. This helps us when we need to work out the fraction of a quantity, since we can build up from our unit fraction.

Let's see how this works, in the first video.

Worked Example

Question 1

Equivalent fractions

When we look at an area model of our fractions, we can see how equivalent fractions make it easier to add and subtract our fractions, when the denominators are not the same. The next video works through some examples of how equivalent fractions help us solve addition and subtraction, with fractions.

Worked Example

Question 2