Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers

Welcome to NurseHub’s lesson on Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers. This lesson will help you to prepare for the Math section of your TEAS exam.

Learning Goals:

We will be able to:

• add & subtract two or more fractions
• add & subtract mixed numbers and fractions
• add & subtract mixed numbers
• add & subtract mixed numbers, fractions, and whole numbers.

Why is this skill important to know?

Fractions and mixed numbers show up in all sorts of places:

Measurements, recipes, medicines, or when we need a very specific amount of something.

We must know how to add or subtract these amounts together.

Key Vocabulary:

1) Proper Fraction – fractions where the numerator is less than the denominator.

2) Mixed Number – contains a whole number and a fraction

3) Improper Fraction – fractions where the numerator is greater than the denominator.

4) Least Common Multiple (LCM) – the smallest skip-counting number that two integers (whole numbers) share.

Key Points:

1) You can only add or subtract fractions with the same denominator.

2) If fractions/mixed numbers do not have the same denominator you must find the least common multiple of the denominators and make equivalent fractions.

3) When adding mixed numbers you can add the whole numbers and fractions separately. (ADDITION ONLY)

4) When subtracting mixed numbers, create equivalent fractions first to determine if you have to borrow.

5) when subtracting fractions or mixed numbers from a whole, you can also use the counting-up strategy.

6) If you are ever confused, ALWAYS turn your mixed numbers into improper fractions first.

Practice Problems

Try solving each problem below, check your answer, then play the video to see a step-by-step walkthrough of the solution.

What’s Next?

Click the quiz link below to practice this skill with realistic questions aligned to the TEAS 7 exam.