Intro to Millwright Practice Exam

What is required to add or subtract fractions?

1. Like denominators

2. Opposite numerators

3. Common factors

4. Decimal equivalents

The correct answer is: Like denominators

To add or subtract fractions, it is necessary to have like denominators. This means that the fractions must have the same bottom number, or the number that indicates how many equal parts the whole is divided into. When the denominators are the same, you can combine the numerators directly to get the new numerator, while the denominator remains unchanged. For example, if you are adding 1/4 and 2/4, both fractions have the same denominator of 4, so you simply add the numerators (1 + 2 = 3) to get a result of 3/4. If the denominators were different, such as in adding 1/4 and 1/3, you would first need to find a common denominator before proceeding with the addition. This concept is fundamental in fraction arithmetic, and understanding it allows for accurate calculations involving fractions.