A fraction can be less than a whole, more than a whole, or a mix of both. Once you can flip between these three forms, adding fractions with different denominators is just one more step.
Whether a fraction is more or less than one whole decides which family it belongs to.
| Type | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Proper | top < bottom (less than 1 whole) | 3/4 |
| Improper | top ≥ bottom (1 whole or more) | 7/4 |
| Mixed number | a whole number + a proper fraction | 1 3/4 |
Every improper fraction is secretly a mixed number in disguise, and the other way round.
Change both fractions to the same denominator using their LCM, then add just the top numbers.
12 IMO-style questions on fraction types, conversions and addition. 🍀