Can someone PLEASE help with 10yr old Maths?

[WendyCope]

What is 1/7 add 1/2? How would I work this out?

Feeling a bit useless here

2/9 plus 1/2?
4/15 plus 2/5?

Help, anybody.

2/14 + 7/14 = 9/14

hopeful bump

Change it to 14ths
2/14th plus 7/14ths makes 9/14ths

It's easy!

I would turn it all into fourteenths (common denominator).

You need to find common denominators ie the bottom numbers need to be the same to add them together.
1/7 is same as 2/14
1/2 is same as 7/14 so then

2/14+7/14 = 9/14
Xx

You need to find a common denominator, eg
14.

So, 1/7 is the same as 2/14
And 1/2 is the same as 7/14

Then you can do
2/14 + 7/14 (imagine a cake cut into 14, and add seven pieces plus two pieces)

That gives 9/14.

You need to make the bottoms the same.

21. 17
----. =. 2+7. =. 9
2*7. --. ----
14. 14

You have got toake them equivalent fractions as it would has with your first example. 2nd example make them both eighteenths.

Convert the 2 fractions so they are both over the same number:

1/7 is the same as 2/14
1/2 is the same as 7/14

so 1/7 + 1/2 = 2/14 + 7/14 = 9/14

Thank you all so much

It's only easy if you know how!

OP, you need to find a common denominator. So for your first question, you'd use 14, because it's a multiple of both 2 and 7. There are lots of resources online showing how to do this, I'll try to find a link.

You need to change the bottom number (denominator) to both be the same. So the smallest number divisible by 7 and 2 is 14, that's your new denominator. Then multiply the top number (numerator) by whatever factor you used for the denominator ie 1/7 goes to 2/14 and 1/2 goes to 7/14. Then just add both top numbers together to get 9/14

Lol lots of x posts!!

The Khan Academy has video explaining maths at every level. You might want to watch it with your child www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/fraction-arithmetic/arith-review-add-sub-fractions/v/adding-small-fractions-with-unlike-denominators

You are all wonderful, I think we have it! Only a few tears (mine!)

I can't copy the link for some reason, but if you Google 'adding fractions with different denominators' there are a few good videos.

Hollowvictory, I do think your response was rude.

What everyone else said.

Here is some extra info.

You have to know that if you multiply the top (numerator) and bottom (denominator) of a fraction by the same number, then you haven't changed its value, you have just made equivalent fractions (as mentioned above)

So 1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6 = 4/8 = 5/10

all the bits you add have to be the same size, so you change the fractions to have a common denominator (same bottoms) and then add the numerators.

Similarly fractions can be simplified by dividing top and bottom by the same number. So 15/25 = (dividing top and bottom by 5) 3/5.

Flyingpie and TeenTimes thank you so much. It does, in fact, now seem easy! DD is thrilled.

I am very grateful to you all (in Spain and the teachers seem to make it much more complicated than you all did!)

Next steps.

Multiplying fractions is easy, multiply the tops and multiply the bottoms.
2/3 x 9/10 = (2x9)/(3x10) = 18/30,
then you can simplify by dividing top and bottom by 6, so 18/30=3/5
(When you get clever you can simplify before multiplying.)

Dividing - you flip the second fraction over and change the sign to multiply:
2/3 div 7/9 = 2/3 x 9/7 = 18/21 = 6/7

Enjoy.