Fractions - Add and Subtract Fractions (Activity) - Presentation

In a comprehensive presentation on adding and subtracting fractions, students are introduced to the challenge of working with fractions that have different denominators. The lesson prompts students to think critically about how to handle the numerators and denominators in such cases. Utilising visual aids like bars to represent fractions, the presentation guides students through the process of finding equivalent fractions with common denominators. This foundational step is crucial for performing addition and subtraction of fractions accurately. Students are encouraged to discuss and explore the calculations, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

The presentation further delves into the concept by presenting specific examples where students must find a common multiple for the denominators. For instance, when adding 1/4 and 1/3, students learn to divide each quarter into three parts and each third into four parts, leading to a common denominator of twelfths. Through this method, they discover that 1/4 is equivalent to 3/12 and 1/3 is equivalent to 4/12, which simplifies the addition to 7/12. The lesson continues with more exercises, including subtraction, where students use fraction strips to visualise and calculate equivalent fractions before solving the final calculation. This interactive approach ensures that students not only comprehend the procedures but also apply them effectively in practice.