4th Grade Math – Adding and Subtracting Fractions with Like Denominators

In 4th grade, students should learn to add and subtract fractions. The first step is to teach students to add and subtract fractions with ‘like’ denominators.

Here are examples of adding fractions with like denominators:

Here are examples of subtracting fractions with like denominators:

Students can easily begin with like denominator fractions because it only requires that they add or subtract the numerators.

All the above examples are proper fractions and the easiest for students to work with.

However, there are three types of fractions…

Proper Fractions:
The numerator is greater than (or equal to) the denominator
Improper Fractions:
The numerator is greater than (or equal to) the denominator
Mixed Fractions:
A whole number and proper fraction together –

Fraction Types: Proper, Improper, Mixed

If students are adding and subtracting improper fractions, adding and subtracting is still straightforward as long as all fractions have like denominators. However, what should a student do when presented with mixed fractions?

First, each mixed fraction should be changed into an improper fraction. To convert a mixed fraction to an improper fraction, follow these steps:

Multiply the whole number part by the fraction’s denominator.
Add that to the numerator
Then write the result on top of the denominator.

Once all mixed fractions in an addition or subtraction problem are converted and all denominators are the same, then addition and subtraction can easily take place by adding or subtracting the numerators while the denominators stay the same!

To help students master adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators, My Teaching Library has developed these products…

Each of these downloadable, printable, ready to use workbooks include 10 worksheets. Each worksheet includes 10 problems. These workbooks also include answer keys so they are truly ready to print and go!

Get: Adding Fractions with Like Denominators

Get Subtracting Fractions with Like Denominators

My Teaching Library has many additional fraction related resources! Here is a sample:

Here is a resource that all Math students should have…Math Glossary

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