Adding fractions with unlike denominators and whole numbers

Calculator Use

Do math calculations with mixed numbers (mixed fractions) performing operations on fractions, whole numbers, integers, mixed numbers, mixed fractions and improper fractions. The Mixed Numbers Calculator can add, subtract, multiply and divide mixed numbers and fractions.

Mixed Numbers Calculator (also referred to as Mixed Fractions):

This online calculator handles simple operations on whole numbers, integers, mixed numbers, fractions and improper fractions by adding, subtracting, dividing or multiplying. The answer is provided in a reduced fraction and a mixed number if it exists.

Enter mixed numbers, whole numbers or fractions in the following formats:

  • Mixed numbers: Enter as 1 1/2 which is one and one half or 25 3/32 which is twenty five and three thirty seconds. Keep exactly one space between the whole number and fraction and use a forward slash to input fractions. You can enter up to 3 digits in length for each whole number, numerator or denominator (123 456/789).
  • Whole numbers: Up to 3 digits in length.
  • Fractions: Enter as 3/4 which is three fourths or 3/100 which is three one hundredths. You can enter up to 3 digits in length for each the numerators and denominators (e.g., 456/789).

Adding Mixed Numbers using the Adding Fractions Formula

  1. Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions
  2. Use the algebraic formula for addition of fractions:
    a/b + c/d = (ad + bc) / bd
  3. Reduce fractions and simplify if possible

Adding Fractions Formula

\( \dfrac{a}{b} + \dfrac{c}{d} = \dfrac{(a \times d) + (b \times c)}{b \times d} \)

Example

Add 1 2/6 and 2 1/4

\( 1 \dfrac{2}{6} + 2 \dfrac{1}{4} = \dfrac{8}{6} + \dfrac{9}{4} \)

\( = \dfrac{(8 \times 4) + (9 \times 6)}{6 \times 4} \)

\( = \dfrac{32 + 54}{24} = \dfrac{86}{24} = \dfrac{43}{12} \)

\( = 3 \dfrac{7}{12} \)

1 2/6 + 2 1/4 = 8/6 + 9/4 = (8*4 + 9*6) / 6*4 = 86 / 24

So we get 86/24 and simplify to 3 7/12

Subtracting Mixed Numbers using the Subtracting Fractions Formula

  1. Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions
  2. Use the algebraic formula for subtraction of fractions: a/b - c/d = (ad - bc) / bd
  3. Reduce fractions and simplify if possible

Subtracting Fractions Formula

\( \dfrac{a}{b} - \dfrac{c}{d} = \dfrac{(a \times d) - (b \times c)}{b \times d} \)

Example

Subtract 2 1/4 from 1 2/6

1 2/6 - 2 1/4 = 8/6 - 9/4 = (8*4 - 9*6) / 6*4 = -22 / 24

Reduce the fraction to get -11/12

Multiplying Mixed Numbers using the Multiplying Fractions Formula

  1. Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions
  2. Use the algebraic formula for multiplying of fractions: a/b * c/d = ac / bd
  3. Reduce fractions and simplify if possible

Multiplying Fractions Formula

\( \dfrac{a}{b} \times \dfrac{c}{d} = \dfrac{a \times c}{b \times d} \)

Example

multiply 1 2/6 by 2 1/4

1 2/6 * 2 1/4 = 8/6 * 9/4 = 8*9 / 6*4 = 72 / 24

Reduce the fraction to get 3/1 and simplify to 3

Dividing Mixed Numbers using the Dividing Fractions Formula

  1. Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions
  2. Use the algebraic formula for division of fractions: a/b ÷ c/d = ad / bc
  3. Reduce fractions and simplify if possible

Dividing Fractions Formula

\( \dfrac{a}{b} \div \dfrac{c}{d} = \dfrac{a \times d}{b \times c} \)

Example

divide 1 2/6 by 2 1/4

1 2/6 ÷ 2 1/4 = 8/6 ÷ 9/4 = 8*4 / 9*6 = 32 / 54

Reduce the fraction to get 16/27

To perform math operations on simple proper or improper fractions use our Fractions Calculator. This calculator simplifies improper fraction answers into mixed numbers.

If you want to simplify an individual fraction into lowest terms use our Simplify Fractions Calculator.

For an explanation of how to factor numbers to find the greatest common factor (GCF) see the Greatest Common Factor Calculator.

If you are simplifying large fractions by hand you can use the Long Division with Remainders Calculator to find whole number and remainder values.

Instructor: Laura Pennington Show bio

Laura received her Master's degree in Pure Mathematics from Michigan State University, and her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Grand Valley State University. She has 20 years of experience teaching collegiate mathematics at various institutions.

In this lesson, we will take a close look at each of the steps involved in adding mixed fractions with different denominators. After familiarizing ourselves with the process, we will look at an application to put the process to use.

Steps to Solve

To add mixed fractions with different denominators, we simply need to perform three steps. Of course, this means knowing how to do each step, so let's figure this out together. First of all, a mixed number is a number with a fraction part and a whole part.

Adding fractions with unlike denominators and whole numbers

When we want to add mixed numbers with different denominators, the first step we take is to convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions, where an improper fraction is a fraction with a numerator larger than its denominator. When converting a mixed number to an improper fraction, the denominator will remain the same. To find the numerator, we multiply the whole part of the number by the denominator of the fraction part and then add the numerator of the fraction part.

Adding fractions with unlike denominators and whole numbers

For example, suppose we are converting 3 1/4 to an improper fraction. We know the fraction's denominator remains the same, so it will be 4. To find the numerator, we multiply the whole number 3 by the denominator 4, and then add the numerator 1 to get 3*4 + 1 = 13. Thus, we have that 3 1/4 = 13 / 4.

The second step in adding mixed fractions with different denominators is to add together the two improper fractions that you found in the first step. To do this, you will need to find a common denominator and then add the numerators. This can be accomplished using the illustrated rule.

Adding fractions with unlike denominators and whole numbers

For example, suppose we are adding 3 1/4 + 1 1/2. We already converted 3 1/4 to 13/4. To convert 1 1/2, we keep the denominator of 2 and find the numerator using our conversion rule. 1 1/2 = (1*2 + 1) / 2 = 3/2. Now, we add the improper fractions 13/4 and 3/2 using our addition rule.

Adding fractions with unlike denominators and whole numbers

We see that 13/4 + 3/2 = 19/4.

The last step in adding mixed fractions with different denominators is to convert the improper fraction you found in the second step back to a mixed number. To do this, you perform the division indicated (in this case, 19 divided by 4). The quotient will be the whole number in the mixed number, the remainder will be the numerator in the fraction of the mixed number, and the denominator of the fraction in the mixed number stays the same.

Adding fractions with unlike denominators and whole numbers

Consider our result 19/4 from our example. To convert this to a mixed number, we perform division to get 19/4 = 4 remainder 3. We now know that the whole number in the mixed number will be 4, the numerator of the fraction in the mixed number will be 3, and the denominator of the fraction in the mixed number will be 4. Therefore, 19/4 = 4 3/4.

Once you get familiar with these steps, adding mixed numbers with different denominators becomes a breeze! Let's look at these steps in a nice, laid out manner.

  • Lesson
  • Quiz
  • Course

Solution

To add mixed numbers with different denominators, we follow these steps.

  1. Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions.
  2. Add the improper fractions together.
  3. Convert the result back to a mixed number.

That's not too hard, is it?

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What is the rule for adding fractions with unlike denominators?

The basic rule for adding fractions with unlike denominators is to find the LCM of the different denominators and convert the given unlike fractions into like fractions. This can be done by changing their denominators equal to the LCM. Once the denominators become the same, the numerators can be added.