Solve Fraction Addition: 3/8 + 4/8 with Visual Grid

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

The denominator tells us what size pieces we're working with. Since both fractions use eighths, we stay with eighths! We only add the number of pieces (numerators).

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

The grid is divided into 8 equal parts. You can see that $ \frac{3}{8} $ means 3 sections, and $ \frac{4}{8} $ means 4 more sections, totaling 7 sections out of 8.

Q: When would I need to find a common denominator?

Only when the denominators are different! Since both fractions here are already in eighths, you can add directly. If you had $ \frac{3}{4} + \frac{1}{8} $, then you'd need a common denominator.

Q: Is 7/8 in simplest form?

Yes! Since 7 and 8 share no common factors (7 is prime), $ \frac{7}{8} $ cannot be simplified further. It's already in lowest terms.

Fraction Addition with Same Denominators

$\frac{3}{8}+\frac{4}{8}=$

❤️ Continue Your Math Journey!

We have hundreds of course questions with personalized recommendations + Account 100% premium

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:04 Let's color the appropriate number of squares, according to the given data

00:16 Now let's count and add to the numerator in the new fraction

00:20 The denominator equals the number of cells we divided

00:24 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

$\frac{3}{8}+\frac{4}{8}=$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we need to add the two fractions with the same denominator.

Step 1: Identify the fractions: $\frac{3}{8}$ and $\frac{4}{8}$ .
Step 2: Add the numerators since they have the same denominator: $3 + 4$ .
Step 3: The result of the addition is $\frac{7}{8}$ .
Step 4: There's no need to simplify further, as $\frac{7}{8}$ is already in its simplest form.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $\frac{7}{8}$ .

Final Answer

$\frac{7}{8}$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: When denominators are equal, add only the numerators together
Technique: Add numerators: 3 + 4 = 7, keep denominator 8
Check: Count grid squares: 3 + 4 = 7 out of 8 total ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Adding both numerators and denominators
Don't add 3 + 4 AND 8 + 8 to get 7/16! This creates a completely different fraction that doesn't represent the actual amount. Always keep the same denominator when adding fractions with equal denominators.

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 us what size pieces we're working with. Since both fractions use eighths, we stay with eighths! We only add the number of pieces (numerators).

How does the visual grid help me understand this?

The grid is divided into 8 equal parts. You can see that $\frac{3}{8}$ means 3 sections, and $\frac{4}{8}$ means 4 more sections, totaling 7 sections out of 8.

When would I need to find a common denominator?

Only when the denominators are different! Since both fractions here are already in eighths, you can add directly. If you had $\frac{3}{4} + \frac{1}{8}$ , then you'd need a common denominator.

Is 7/8 in simplest form?

Yes! Since 7 and 8 share no common factors (7 is prime), $\frac{7}{8}$ cannot be simplified further. It's already in lowest terms.

What if my answer was more than 1 whole?

If the numerator is larger than the denominator, you'd have an improper fraction. You could convert it to a mixed number, but improper fractions are perfectly valid answers too!

🌟 Unlock Your Math Potential

Get unlimited access to all 18 Operations with Fractions questions, detailed video solutions, and personalized progress tracking.

📹

Unlimited Video Solutions

Step-by-step explanations for every problem

📊

Progress Analytics

Track your mastery across all topics

🚫

Ad-Free Learning

Focus on math without distractions

No credit card required • Cancel anytime