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Anchor Chart - Adding Fractions
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make like units first
Anchor Chart · Grade 5 · 5.NF.A.1
Adding Fractions, Unlike Denominators
1
2
+
1
3
1
Draw Both Fractions
1/2 · cut up-and-down
1/3 · cut side-to-side
Halves and thirds are
different-sized pieces
- you can't add them yet.
2
Copy Each Other's Cuts
1
2
=
3
6
1
3
=
2
6
Now both squares hold
sixths
- like units - and the shaded amounts never changed.
3
Add the Like Units
3
6
+
2
6
=
5
6
Same-size pieces add like plain numbers:
3 + 2 = 5
sixths.
4
Look Back
· The new fractions are
equivalent
to the ones you started with - same amount, smaller pieces.
· Denominators never add. They just name the piece size.
· Simplify if you can.
5
6
is already in simplest form.
You can only add pieces that match.
