Add Fractions with Same Denominator: 5/8 + 1/8 with Visual Grid

Q: Why don't I add the denominators too?

The denominator tells you the size of each piece - it stays the same! You're just combining more pieces of the same size. Think of it like having 5 pizza slices plus 1 more slice from the same pizza.

Q: How does the visual grid help me understand this?

The grid is divided into 8 equal parts. You can see that $ \frac{5}{8} $ means 5 parts are shaded, and adding $ \frac{1}{8} $ means shading 1 more part, giving you 6 shaded parts total.

Q: Should I simplify my answer?

It depends on what the question asks for! $ \frac{6}{8} $ can be simplified to $ \frac{3}{4} $, but if the answer choices show $ \frac{6}{8} $, that's what they want.

Q: What if the fractions had different denominators?

Then you'd need to find a common denominator first! But when denominators are already the same (like both being 8), you can add directly.

Adding Like Fractions with Visual Models

$\frac{5}{8}+\frac{1}{8}=$

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 Let's color the appropriate number of squares, according to the given data

00:12 Now let's count and add to the numerator in the new fraction

00:16 The denominator equals the number of cells we divided

00:21 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$\frac{5}{8}+\frac{1}{8}=$

Step-by-step solution

To solve the problem of $\frac{5}{8} + \frac{1}{8}$ , follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify that both fractions have the same denominator: 8.
Step 2: Since the denominators are the same, add the numerators to get a new numerator: $5 + 1 = 6$ .
Step 3: The resulting fraction is $\frac{6}{8}$ .
Step 4: Simplify the fraction if needed; $\frac{6}{8}$ simplifies to $\frac{3}{4}$ , which is a reduced form.

Therefore, the solution for the fraction addition $\frac{5}{8} + \frac{1}{8}$ is $\frac{6}{8}$ , which simplifies to $\frac{3}{4}$ , but considering the choices given, the answer choice corresponds to $\frac{6}{8}$ , which is choice 3.

Final Answer

$\frac{6}{8}$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Same Denominator Rule: Add numerators and keep the same denominator
Technique: Count shaded parts: 5 + 1 = 6 eighths total
Check: Visual grid shows 6 out of 8 parts shaded ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Adding both numerators and denominators
Don't add $\frac{5}{8} + \frac{1}{8}$ to get $\frac{6}{16}$ ! This changes the size of each piece and gives a completely wrong answer. Always keep the denominator the same and only add the numerators when denominators match.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$$ $\frac{4}{5}+\frac{1}{5}=$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why don't I add the denominators too?

The denominator tells you the size of each piece - it stays the same! You're just combining more pieces of the same size. Think of it like having 5 pizza slices plus 1 more slice from the same pizza.

How does the visual grid help me understand this?

The grid is divided into 8 equal parts. You can see that $\frac{5}{8}$ means 5 parts are shaded, and adding $\frac{1}{8}$ means shading 1 more part, giving you 6 shaded parts total.

Should I simplify my answer?

It depends on what the question asks for! $\frac{6}{8}$ can be simplified to $\frac{3}{4}$ , but if the answer choices show $\frac{6}{8}$ , that's what they want.

What if the fractions had different denominators?

Then you'd need to find a common denominator first! But when denominators are already the same (like both being 8), you can add directly.

How do I know I'm adding fractions correctly?

Use the visual! Count the total shaded parts and make sure it matches your numerator. Also, the denominator should always be the same as the original fractions.

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