Solving Fraction Equations

Property Use the Addition or Subtraction Property of Equality to solve equations with fractions. Always find a common denominator before adding or subtracting.

Examples Solve $x + \frac{1}{3} = \frac{5}{6}$. Subtract $\frac{1}{3}$: $x = \frac{5}{6} \frac{2}{6}$, so $x = \frac{1}{2}$. Solve $y \frac{1}{2} = \frac{1}{8}$. Add $\frac{1}{2}$: $y = \frac{1}{8} + \frac{4}{8}$, so $y = \frac{5}{8}$.

Explanation Don't let fractions scare you! Solving equations with them uses the exact same rules. The only extra step is finding a common denominator before you add or subtract, which is like making sure you are comparing apples to apples. Just convert the fractions to have the same bottom number, then use inverse operations as usual to isolate your variable.