Arithmetic (Operations with Fractions)

Addition and Subtraction

To find the sum and difference of fractions, we use the following *rules:
Similar Fractions
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎+𝑐 𝑎 𝑐 𝑎−𝑐
+ = − =
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
13 2 15 3 24 27 24−27 3 1
Examples: 1)
4
+4 = 4
= 34 2)
27
− 27 = 27
= − 27 = − 9

Dissimilar Fractions
1. Express the given fractions as equivalent fractions.
2. Use *rule 1.

3 3 15+6 21 1 18 3 18−6 12 4 1
Examples: 1)
2
+5 = 10
= 10 = 2 10 2)
8
−4 = 8
= 8
= 18 = 12

Multiplication
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎𝑐
[ ][ ] =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑏𝑑

2 5 2 10 5 1 3 28 3 4 12 2
Examples: 1) 5( ) = ∙ = = =2 2) [ ][ ] = × = =2
4 1 4 4 2 2 7 5 1 5 5 5

2 4 10 2 1 2 4
3) [ ][ ][ ] = ∙ ∙ =
5 9 4 1 9 1 9

Division
𝑎
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎 𝑑 𝑎𝑑
÷ =𝑏
𝑐 = × =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑏 𝑐 𝑏𝑐
𝑑

5 5 25 5 1 1 1 1 14 7 14 12 2 4 8 2
Examples: 1) ÷ 25 = ÷ = × = × = 2) ÷ = ∙ = ∙ = =2
6 6 1 6 25 6 5 30 9 12 9 7 3 1 3 3

Complex or Compound Fractions

A fraction whose numerator and/or denominator contains fractions.
• Multiply both numerator and denominator by the least common denominator of all fractions. Simplify the
resulting fraction.
• Perform the indicated operations in the numerator and denominator of the given complex fraction, then
divide the numerator by the denominator. Simplify the resulting fraction.
4
3−
5
Example: Simplify 2 .
+1
3

4 15 − 4 11
3− 11 3 33 8
5= 5 = 5 = ∙ = =1
2 2+3 5 5 5 25 25
+1
3 3 3

More Examples
3 4 9+4 13 1
1) 9 + 6 = (9 + 6) ( 12 ) = 15 12 = 16 12
4 12
1 1 2 1 2−1 1
2) 12 − 5 = 12 − 5 = (12 − 5) ( ) = 74
2 4 4 4 4
3 5 12 25 40 12 25 52 25 27
3) 8 − 1 8 = 8 40 − 1 40 = 7 40 + 40 − 1 40 = 7 40 − 1 40 = 6 40
10
2 3 1 2 15+4 2 19 2 79 1 79 79 19
4) × (1 4 + 2 5) = 3 × 3 = 3 × 3 20 = 3 × 20 = 3 × 10 = 30 = 2 30
3 20
1 3 10 11−6 11 5 11 1 1 1
5) [ − ] ÷ [11] = [ ] × [10] = 22 × 10 = 2 × 2 = 4
2 11 22
3 1 38 1 1 19 1 1 19 1 4 1 5
6) (7 ÷ 2) + 4 = ( ∙ 2) + 4 5 = ( 5 ∙ 1) + 4 5 = +45 = 35 + 45 = 75 = 8
5 5 5 5

1 1 1
[1− 1] 1− 4−1 1− 3 2 2 1
2− 1−1∙ 1− 1 1 1
2 2 2 3 3 3
7) = 3 = 3 = 2 = = = ∙ =
3 1+ 2+1 1+ 3 1+3∙ 1+2 3 3 3 9
[1+ 1] 3
1+ 2 2
2