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How to add, subtract, multiply, divide fractions

August 12, 2012 by Simon 82 Comments

How to add, subtract, multiply, divide fractions is an important foundational skill.

Learn these, practice them and always keep to the same methods!

There are 6 main numeracy skills that will help with your maths. Click here to read more.

Click here to visit subtraction skills, multiplication skills, divisions skills videos.

Fraction manipulation represents around 1/3rd (yes, really!) of a typical GCSE paper. Questions such as:

  • 1/3 + 7/8 = ?
  • percentages
  • ratio
  • division
  • comparisons
  • gradient
  • equations
  • algebra
  • probability
  • and so on ..

… all will use fractions in some form.

The study of fractions is one of the most important parts of foundational maths study. Fractions can be a little easier to ‘visualise’ when you are calculating. Try to develop a ‘reasonableness check’ while you are working through the calculations. For instance:

A quarter of 63456 is around 15,000

  • because it’s nearly 60,000.
  • and
  • a quarter is half of a half*

try to ‘see’ a half of a half as a quarter, like this:

 the quarter is half of the half

It gets a little trickier with some advanced fractions. Perhaps using ‘nearly equivalents’ would be helpful… such as 9/16 is around a half, or, 3/14 is a little less than a quarter.

Try some of the videos. Maybe you could stop halfway and try to guess the answer.

Equivalent fractions

Mixed numbers to improper fractions

Improper fractions to mixed numbers

How to add fractions – part 1

How to add fractions – part 2

How to takeaway or subtract fractions – part 1

How to takeway or subtract fractions – part 2

How top multiply fractions

How to multiply mixed fractions – including whole numbers

How to divide fractions – coming soon 🙂

 

Watch how to add, subtract, multiply, divide fractions on my YouTube channel.

Comments

  1. ilLinoiSe says

    May 4, 2015 at 10:31 am

    Thank you so much again love your vids they help alot. Helped revise on my
    test.

    By the way if i my put a little suggestion, you should get a a better
    microphone so that the quality of hearing is better. Just a little
    suggestion.

    Reply
  2. Tom Watson says

    April 6, 2015 at 11:43 am

    Thanks for helping me a lot! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Su Lawson says

    March 9, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    Thank you very much you really helped my children

    Reply
  4. Rachit54123 says

    January 5, 2015 at 8:50 pm

    syuo

    Reply
  5. sr01Nano says

    November 25, 2014 at 1:32 am

    Good video thanks

    Reply
  6. Angel Williams says

    October 30, 2014 at 5:55 pm

    Thank you for this video it has helped us alot

    Reply
  7. Zainul Rasheed says

    June 24, 2014 at 1:35 pm

    thnks buddy
    its very useful for a boy like me

    Reply
  8. kriti rajbar says

    May 2, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    Really helpful :):-)

    Reply
  9. Huong Cao says

    January 31, 2014 at 2:53 am

    What happens if theres a whole number in front of a mixed number if your
    dividing? Such as 12 divided by 3 1/3

    Reply
  10. Brady McBride says

    January 29, 2014 at 2:00 am

    thnx for the help u rock dude

    Reply
  11. Abbas Kalan says

    January 8, 2014 at 8:48 pm

    thank u simon this video came in handy i watched it the day before my exams

    Reply
  12. MrIncognitoPotato says

    January 6, 2014 at 9:11 pm

    Really helped me out. I forgot all about this, thanks for the demonstration
    man.

    Reply
  13. Simon Deacon says

    December 8, 2013 at 10:41 am

    Please like and leave a comment!

    Visit https://www.3minutemaths.co.uk for real maths, tips and techniques.

    Reply
  14. Simon Deacon says

    December 8, 2013 at 10:41 am

    Please like and leave a comment!

    Visit https://www.3minutemaths.co.uk for real maths, tips and techniques.

    Reply
  15. Tarik Deeb says

    December 6, 2013 at 2:21 am

    Thanks Man U are the best

    Reply
  16. Marcus Goring says

    November 18, 2013 at 11:29 am

    So helpful for homeschooling my 12 yr old son .Thankyou Simon you explain
    maths really well ,it’s now our favourite subject!

    Reply
  17. Simon Deacon says

    October 27, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    Please post, pin, tweet, like or subscribe!

    Reply
  18. Simon Deacon says

    October 27, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    Please post, pin, tweet, like or subscribe!

    Reply
  19. Simon Deacon says

    October 27, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    Please post, pin, tweet, like or subscribe!

    Reply
  20. Simon Deacon says

    October 27, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Please post, pin, tweet, like or subscribe!

    Reply
  21. Simon Deacon says

    October 27, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Please post, pin, tweet, like or subscribe!

    Reply
  22. Simon Deacon says

    October 27, 2013 at 11:57 pm

    Please post, pin, tweet, like or subscribe!

    Reply
  23. Simon Deacon says

    October 14, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Thanks and glad it helped 🙂

    Reply
  24. Martyn Collins says

    October 13, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    great thanks, very helpful, keep up the good work!

    Reply
  25. Simon Deacon says

    June 11, 2013 at 8:30 pm

    Hi – glad it was helpful. There’s a few adding fractions videos – if you search on the channel you should find them. Hope that’s OK. All best S

    Reply
  26. Deon Patel says

    June 11, 2013 at 7:48 pm

    Thanks! Have you got a adding fractions video

    Reply
  27. aliya mahamood says

    May 19, 2013 at 11:03 pm

    Reply
  28. Jackie Jiang says

    May 3, 2013 at 3:55 am

    Thanks for the video it really helped me on my homework

    Reply
  29. misslilyskye says

    March 24, 2013 at 5:51 am

    I think if I got to learn math while listening to his accent, I would have done a lot better lol just listening to him makes it fun, not to mention he makes it seem so much simpler than other teachers I’ve had, that’s for sure 🙂

    Reply
  30. Simon Deacon says

    March 20, 2013 at 11:15 pm

    Glad to help 🙂

    Reply
  31. Mohammed Essah says

    March 20, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    this really helped me thanks a lot!

    Reply
  32. legomimi2 says

    March 8, 2013 at 1:41 am

    Thx

    Reply
  33. Simon Deacon says

    March 6, 2013 at 11:18 pm

    Hi – that’s great! Really glad the video helped. Thanks for letting me know. S

    Reply
  34. lupelupita diaz says

    March 6, 2013 at 10:56 pm

    thats what i got confused with two whole numbers with fractions thx alot it really helped me i got a A+ in math class better then B+ =D

    Reply
  35. Mitchell Evans says

    February 25, 2013 at 10:54 am

    anyone else learn more form youtube videos then their actual maths teachers

    Reply
  36. Simon Deacon says

    February 19, 2013 at 11:00 pm

    Glad it helped and thanks for letting me know 🙂

    Reply
  37. mila servin says

    February 19, 2013 at 7:52 pm

    Wow it really helped 🙂

    Reply
  38. mikescott20122050 says

    February 10, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    @Manue Nono

    Reply
  39. gkerbs11 says

    February 7, 2013 at 11:01 pm

    thank you!

    Reply
  40. Zaynies Pink says

    January 24, 2013 at 3:28 am

    I need an A tomorrow! Hope soo

    Reply
  41. TritonJake says

    January 20, 2013 at 10:40 am

    My math class was on this but I fell asleep so I have a test on this on Tuesday and now Ik how to do it

    Reply
  42. lordmoonaz69 says

    January 10, 2013 at 5:56 pm

    I wish you were my maths teacher

    Reply
  43. lordmoonaz69 says

    January 10, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    Legend! Just helped me with my homework 😀

    Reply
  44. Manue Nono says

    December 7, 2012 at 1:20 am

    i hate math but i like this video

    Reply
  45. Mark Bellamy says

    December 6, 2012 at 1:39 am

    I say to u the exact response she just said thankyou soo much

    Reply
  46. Juliana Ammann says

    December 4, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    Thanks a bunch I have maths test 2mrow and I had no idea what to do until now … thank you 🙂

    Reply
  47. ruben Cervantes says

    November 8, 2012 at 4:12 am

    Ghetto teachers are the best

    Reply
  48. addictableminecraft says

    November 6, 2012 at 7:53 pm

    Thanks

    Reply
  49. Paul Gilliland says

    November 5, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    You are the guy – thank you thank you thank you

    Reply
  50. harmonie defilippis says

    October 18, 2012 at 5:35 am

    LOL i like his ghetto white board

    Reply
  51. TheSweetiepie121 says

    October 4, 2012 at 12:41 am

    Thank you so much mr. I finally know how to do my homework now!!! 🙂

    Reply
  52. pacohc713 says

    September 14, 2012 at 6:56 am

    i learned more in this vid than 4 high school years….dam ghetto teachers

    Reply
  53. pacohc713 says

    September 14, 2012 at 6:55 am

    easy im 5 :p

    Reply
  54. connor hooks says

    September 11, 2012 at 3:40 am

    Easy I’m 11

    Reply
  55. wolfen24X7291999 says

    September 5, 2012 at 2:11 am

    Thank u!!

    Reply
  56. ulawan5 says

    August 31, 2012 at 11:44 am

    this was actually the most helpful demonstration of this I’ve seen XD

    Reply
  57. Antonio Darkstar says

    June 28, 2012 at 3:11 am

    well idk about you peeps but i learned more in a 3 min video then i did in a whole 2 weeks of school lol.

    Reply
  58. barbara bush says

    May 21, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    shut up ur gonna need this when your older and wow im 11 and I know that

    Reply
  59. christian mcgowan says

    May 2, 2012 at 5:43 pm

    freak bhahahahaha

    Reply
  60. Jack williams says

    April 30, 2012 at 6:13 pm

    i never realised youtube could be such an educational place! (:

    Reply
  61. jessgonzalez95 says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    wow i cant belive i actually understand this thanks u really helped

    Reply
  62. Vajran Sarvendran says

    March 21, 2012 at 3:16 am

    jjjjjjjj

    Reply
  63. Frank Flores says

    February 27, 2012 at 3:39 am

    thanks it was a big help

    Reply
  64. Jasmine correa says

    February 12, 2012 at 8:22 am

    ok, this is it, this math teacher has it in him to instruct people like me

    Reply
  65. GerardGrovesPictures says

    December 4, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    Using this to revise 🙂

    Reply
  66. Jessica Tran says

    November 13, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    Wow! Its actcually easy! Yay me 🙂 Thanks!!

    Reply
  67. LoneWolfXVll says

    October 20, 2011 at 5:19 am

    well who knew fractions were this easy -.-

    Reply
  68. Jskills4ever says

    July 25, 2011 at 4:10 am

    Thanks tis reall did help me to

    Reply
  69. kingofcraig says

    May 17, 2011 at 8:49 pm

    Great stuff 🙂

    Reply
  70. bexluvsbreyers says

    May 10, 2011 at 10:24 pm

    THANKYOUUUU!!!!!! maths exam tomorrow!! I was SCREWED until now 😛

    Reply
  71. KathleenSamantha McLaughlinRaven says

    February 13, 2011 at 3:00 am

    thanks alot!

    Reply
  72. Simon Deacon says

    January 25, 2011 at 9:16 pm

    Hi – I’ve only really seen a grid used with muliplication of whole numbers. It’s a good method and can work well if you’re happy to use it. The important thing is to find a method that suits you and always use it. Thanks for your question and good luck with your maths!

    Reply
  73. BlazeDragon133 says

    January 24, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    what about the grid method? wouldnt that be easier?

    Reply
  74. BlazeDragon133 says

    January 24, 2011 at 8:31 pm

    cheers

    Reply
  75. MultiChannelONYoutub says

    October 17, 2010 at 8:10 pm

    Thanks, really helpful revision. 🙂

    Reply
  76. Badges55525 says

    October 12, 2010 at 5:41 pm

    kool

    Reply
  77. Badges55525 says

    October 12, 2010 at 5:41 pm

    aswome

    Reply
  78. Badges55525 says

    October 12, 2010 at 5:38 pm

    aswome

    Reply
  79. Tom89760 says

    October 1, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    very useful

    Reply
  80. eviltube1111 says

    September 27, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    thanks buddy

    Reply
  81. Joshua Scott says

    June 9, 2010 at 7:32 am

    sweet

    Reply
  82. alexg555 says

    August 25, 2009 at 6:13 am

    thank you man i got a A on my test

    Reply

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