Adding and Subtracting Fractions with Unlike Denominators
Adding and Subtracting Fractions with Unlike Denominators is a free, printable Grade 5 Math worksheet — 8 questions with an answer key, aligned to CCSS.MATH.5.NF.A.1. Lessonpress generated it in about a minute, and you can make your own for any K–5 grade, standard, or skill.
Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers)
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Answer key
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- 1.
Use the fraction strips to find a common denominator, then solve: 1/2 + 1/4. Write the sum as a fraction in simplest form.
Answer: 3/4 (rename 1/2 as 2/4, then 2/4 + 1/4 = 3/4)
- 2.
Find the sum: 2/3 + 1/6 = ___. Use a common denominator of 6 to rename 2/3 before adding.
Answer: 5/6 (rename 2/3 as 4/6, then 4/6 + 1/6 = 5/6)
- 3.
Subtract: 5/6 - 3/4 = ___. Rename both fractions using a common denominator before subtracting.
Answer: 1/12 (rename 5/6 as 10/12 and 3/4 as 9/12, then 10/12 - 9/12 = 1/12)
- 4.
Priya added 1/3 + 1/2 and got 2/5. Plot the correct sum on the number line and explain why Priya's answer is incorrect.
Answer: The correct sum is 5/6. Rename 1/3 as 2/6 and 1/2 as 3/6, then add: 2/6 + 3/6 = 5/6. Priya incorrectly added the numerators (1+1=2) and the denominators (3+2=5) separately, which is not a valid method.
- 5.
Omar is making banana bread. He needs 2 1/4 cups of flour for the first loaf and 1 2/3 cups of flour for the second loaf. How many cups of flour does he need in all? Express your answer as a mixed number in simplest form.
Answer: 3 11/12 cups. Rename 2 1/4 as 2 3/12 and 1 2/3 as 1 8/12. Add the fractions: 3/12 + 8/12 = 11/12. Add the whole numbers: 2 + 1 = 3. Total: 3 11/12 cups.
- 6.
Mei hiked 4 1/2 miles on Saturday and 2 5/6 miles on Sunday. How many more miles did she hike on Saturday than on Sunday? Use the bar model to set up and solve the problem.
Answer: 1 2/3 miles more on Saturday. Rename 4 1/2 as 4 3/6 and 2 5/6 stays as 2 5/6. Subtract: 4 3/6 - 2 5/6. Regroup: 3 9/6 - 2 5/6 = 1 4/6 = 1 2/3 miles.
- 7.
Jamal is running a 10-mile race. After the first checkpoint he has run 3 3/8 miles, and after the second checkpoint he has run an additional 2 3/4 miles. How many miles does Jamal still have left to run to finish the race? Show each step of your work and explain your thinking.
Answer: Jamal has 3 7/8 miles left. First, find the total distance run: 3 3/8 + 2 3/4 = 3 3/8 + 2 6/8 = 5 9/8 = 6 1/8 miles. Then subtract from 10: 10 - 6 1/8 = 9 8/8 - 6 1/8 = 3 7/8 miles.
- 8.
Imani solved 3 1/5 - 1 7/10 and wrote the answer as 1 1/2. Explain the steps needed to solve this problem correctly, find the correct difference, and state whether Imani's answer is equivalent to the correct answer.
Answer: Rename 3 1/5 as 3 2/10. Since 2/10 < 7/10, regroup: 2 12/10 - 1 7/10 = 1 5/10 = 1 1/2. The correct difference is 1 1/2. Imani's answer of 1 1/2 is correct because 5/10 simplifies to 1/2.
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Common questions
What grade is the "Adding and Subtracting Fractions with Unlike Denominators" worksheet for?
Grade 5. It's calibrated to the Grade 5 reading load and content, and aligned to CCSS.MATH.5.NF.A.1.
What standard does this Math worksheet cover?
CCSS.MATH.5.NF.A.1, from the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics: Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers)
Is this worksheet free to print or download?
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