Sum = Addition
Because both fractions have different denominators, we can’t just add them a straight away. So let’s find a common denominator. (One number that both 8 and 4 go into.)
To the find the lowest, we could just multiply 4 and 8 together to get 32. However in this case, this isn’t the lowest common denominator we can use.
In fact, 8 is the lowest, since both 4 and 8 are factors of 8.
So the denominators for both fractions can be:
__ __
8 8
Starting with 5/8’ths, 8 goes into 8 once, so the fraction remains the same (5/8)
With the 1/4, 4 goes into 8 twice, whatever we do to the top, we do to the bottom, so 1 x 2 = 2
This will give us 2/8.
Now both denominators are the same, we can add 5/8 + 2/8 = 7/8
Answer 7/8.
Hope this helps.
