Common fractions

Calculations : addition and subtraction

Examples
4 + __
1. 3
1 + __
1. Calculate __
5 5
2. Calculate __
4 8
.
Answer: Answer:
The fractions have the same denominator. One denominator (8) is a multiple of the
Therefore add the numerators and keep the other (4). Add the numerators and keep the
common denominator. common denominator.
4 + __
__ 5
1 = __ 1 = _2_
__
5 5 5
=1 4 8
3 __
1 + __ 3 _5_
__ = 2 + __
4 8 8 8 8
=

1. Calculate.
2 + _1_ 3 _1_ 5
4 + ___ 3 _1_
a) __ b) __
5 5
+ c) __
5
d) __ +
3 3 10 8 4
5 _4_ 6 3 5 _1_
e) __ – f) ___ – _2_ 4 – ___
g) __ h) __ –
6 6 10 5 7 14 6 3

2. Calculate and write your answer in its simplest form.

3 3
a) 2__
4
+ 1_14_ 2 + _1_
b) 5__
5 5
c) 3__
4
+ 2_3_
8
1 – _1_
d) 2__ 2 – _4_
e) 4__ 2 – 4_5_
f) 6__
5 5 5 5 3 6

3. Calculate and write your answer in its simplest form.

1 + _2_ 3 _3_
Tip
a) __
5
b) __
5 4
+
3
If the denominators are
2 – _1_
c) __ 2 – _1_
d) __ different and are not
3 5 7 8 multiples of one another
4 + 2_1_ 1 + _2_ then we need to first find
e) 3__
5 7
f) 4__ the LCD, then convert the
3 3
fractions, add or subtract
4 – _5_
g) 6__ 1 – _8_
h) 7__ the numerators, and keep
5 6 3 9
the common denominator.

4. Work out the following.

a) John and Ian are taking part in a Comrades
Marathon. John covers __ 2 of the race and Ian
5
9
covers ___ of the race. Who ran the longer distance?
12
2 of her money on clothes, __
b) Sindi spends __ 1 on groceries and __
1 on transport.
5 3 6
i) What fraction of Sindi's money is spent on clothes, groceries and transport?

ii) What fraction of Sindi's money is spent on groceries and transport?

iii) What fraction of money can Sindi save?

Let's Practise common fractions © Oxford University Press Southern Africa

 Common fractions
Calculations : multiplication
Examples
3
1 × __ 1 × __
1.
1. Calculate __ . 2. Calculate 2__
3 5 5 4
Answer: Answer:
When multiplying fractions, no matter what When multiplying mixed numbers, first
the denominators are, multiply the convert the number to an improper fraction
numerators and multiply the denominators. and then multiply the numerators and
3 ___
1 × __
__
5
= 3 denominators.
3 15
1 × __
1 = ___
11 × __
1 = ___
11
2__
5 4 5 4 20

1. Calculate.
2 × _1_ 3 _1_ 5
4 × ___ 3 _1_
a) __ b) __
5 5
× c) __
5
d) __ ×
3 3 10 8 4

2. Calculate and write your answer in its simplest form.

3
a) 2__
4
× 1_14_ 2 × _1_
b) 5__
5 3
1 × 2_2_
c) 3__ 5
3
1 × _1_
d) 2__ 2 × _4_
e) 4__ 2 × 4_5_
f) 6__
5 5 5 5 3 6

3. Calculate and write your answer in its simplest form.

3
1 of _2_
a) __
5
b) __
5
of _34_ 2 of ___
c) __ 1
3 3 15
2 of 28 3
d) __
7
e) __
4
of 2_1_ 1 of 3_2_
f) __
2 8 3

4. Pam spends __2 of her money on clothes, __

1 on groceries and __
1 on transport. Craig spends
5 3 6
a third of what Pam spends on clothes. Craig earns only a quarter of what Pam earns.
Pam earns R30 000 a month.
a) What fraction of her money does Pam spend on clothes, groceries and transport?

b) What fraction of his money does Craig spend on clothes?

c) How much does Craig earn per month?

© Oxford University Press Southern Africa Let's Practise common fractions