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Grade 4 · Maths · Lessons
Same bottom, add the tops
🍫chocolate➕add➖take away🔢tops
Same-size pieces.
The big ideaThe bottom number names the size of the pieces. The top numbers count them.

How it works

The bottom number names the size of the pieces. The top numbers count them.

With the same bottom, add or take away only the tops. The bottom stays.

Simplify at the end if you can: 3/6 is the same as 1/2.

5/6 is shaded
5/6 shaded. Take away 2/6 and 3/6 is left.

Example 1: Take away tops

  1. 5/6 − 2/6 = ?
  2. The bottoms are both 6, so the pieces are the same size.
  3. 5 − 2 = 3, so 3/6.
  4. 3/6 is the same as 1/2.
  5. So the answer is 1/2.

Example 2: In a story

  1. Sam has seven eighths of a chocolate bar. Sam eats one eighth of the chocolate bar. How much is left? Type it.
  2. Seven eighths, then one eighth is eaten.
  3. 7 − 1 = 6, so 6/8.
  4. 6/8 is the same as 3/4.
  5. So the answer is 3/4.

Example 3: A small one

  1. 3/8 − 2/8 = ?
  2. Both bottoms are 8.
  3. 3 − 2 = 1, so 1/8.
  4. It can't be simplified.
  5. So the answer is 1/8.

Words to know

like fractions
Fractions with the same bottom number.
simplify
To write a fraction with smaller numbers that is the same size.

Watch out

Try it

  1. 2/7 + 3/7 = ?
  2. 5/8 − 1/8 = ?
  3. Do you add the bottom numbers?
  4. 1/4 + 2/4 = ?
Answers: 1. 5/7 · 2. 4/8, or 1/2 · 3. no · 4. 3/4
For grown-upsCut a bar into equal pieces and eat some. Count what is left in pieces.
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