Summary
Shows that when fractions share a denominator, you simply add the numerators and keep the bottom the same. Builds on the idea of counting equal parts.
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All ages
Gentle animated educational content, safe to show cold; still worth a quick preview to match it to your lesson.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
When the pieces are the same size (same denominator), you just count how many you have in total — add the top numbers, keep the bottom.
- Why does the denominator stay the same when you add 1/5 + 2/5?
- What is 2/6 + 3/6?
- Would this trick work if the denominators were different? Why not?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: numerator, denominator, add, same size.
Try it: Draw two bars split into fifths. Shade 1/5 on one and 2/5 on the other. How much shaded in all?