Adding Fractions

Oh, no! The blocks are broken. How do we put them back together?

We can add the parts to put them back together!

Add the parts? Like adding numbers?

Yes! We will add fractions. Each part has a number that shows us what fraction it is.

I remember! This part is one half. This part is one third. This part is one fourth.

Great job! We can use these numbers when we add the parts and fix the blocks.

What number will you get when you add fractions back together?

Great question! The answer will always be 1. That is because 1 means a whole.

We want whole blocks!

Yes, we do! Let’s start with these parts. Is this part one half, one third, or one fourth?

That is one half! I can tell because it is a big part, and I can see two equal parts.

Great job! We can write an addition sentence to show that we are putting the parts back together, like this, one half plus one half equals 1.

Now the block is fixed! What about these parts?

Is this part one half, one third, or one fourth?

This part is one third. I can tell because it is a smaller part than a half, and I can see three equal parts.

I will put two of the parts back together. Can you help me with the last part?

Yes! What addition sentence should we write?

One third plus two thirds equals 1.

Okay! The block is fixed!

Let’s fix this block. Is this part one half, one third, or one fourth?

That part is a fourth! It is small, and I can see four equal parts!

That’s right! I put these three parts back together. Can you add on this last part?

Yes! So one fourth plus three fourths equals 1?

You’ve got it! Now we can easily fix the rest of the blocks!

One half plus one half equals 1!

Excellent! What about these parts?

You put 2 of them together, and I have one more. One third plus two thirds equals 1!

Wow! One more block!

You put 3 of the parts together, and I have one more. One fourth plus three fourths equals 1!

Fantastic! You fixed all of the blocks by adding fractions!

Hooray! Now the class can build with the blocks again!