Adding Fractions at the Grade 5 Level

Adding fractions at the Grade 5 level usually involves three key scenarios:

• Adding fractions with like denominators
• Adding fractions with unlike denominators
• Adding mixed numbers

Adding fractions with like denominators

When fractions have the same denominator, simply add the numerators and keep the denominator the same.

For example:

Worksheets for adding fractions with like denominators

The following worksheets provide practice for adding fractions with like denominators.

Adding like fractions worksheets

Students start by practicing adding fractions with like denominators.

Adding fractions with unlike denominators

Find a common denominator before adding.

Steps:

1. Find the least common denominator (LCD).
2. Convert the fractions to have the same denominator.
3. Add the numerators and keep the denominator.
4. Simplify if needed.

For example:

Step 1: LCD of 4 and 3 = 12.

Step 2: Convert fractions.

Step 3: Add the numerators.

The answer is:

Worksheets for adding fractions with unlike denominators

The following fractions worksheets have students practice unlike denominators.

Practice adding unlike fractions

Students add unlike fractions where all fractions are proper fractions.

Adding mixed numbers

Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions, then follow fraction addition steps.

Steps:

1. Convert to improper fractions.
2. Find the LCD.
3. Convert the fractions to have the same denominator.
4. Add the numerators and keep the denominator.
5. Convert the fraction back to a mixed number.

For example:

Step 1: convert to improper fractions.

Step 2: LCD of 5 and 3 = 15

Step 3: convert the fractions to have the same denominator.

Step 4: add the numerators.

Step 5: convert the fraction back to a mixed number.

Worksheets for adding mixed numbers

The following worksheets cover adding mixed numbers for grade 5 students.

Adding fractions and mixed numbers worksheets

In these worksheets, students add fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators.

Adding mixed numbers with like denominators

These worksheets have students practice adding mixed numbers with like denominators.

Completing whole numbers practice

Students are asked to find the missing fraction or mixed number to complete whole numbers in these worksheets.

Adding unlike fractions and mixed numbers

These harder fractions worksheets ask students to add unlike fractions with mixed numbers.

Adding mixed numbers

The final set of worksheets have students adding mixed numbers.