Equivalent Fractions

The 5-step plan

Equivalent fractions are fractions with the same denominators, the bottom number of the fractions are the same. If they are not the same, you need to make them the same; you make sure that all parts have the same denominator. We practice with this in this 5-step plan.

Step 1

Step 3

Step 4 - Multiple choice

Try to answer all the 15 questions right!

Step 5: Get your diploma

Answer all the 20 questions right to get the diploma!

Description Equivalent Fractions

The first step in making equivalent fractions is determining the denominator (bottom number). First you look whether you can make the smallest denominator the same as the largest denominator.

Example sum 1:13 + 16

To make these two fractions equivalent, you need to make sure that both fractions have the same denominator.
In this example, we can easily change 13 -> 26 by multiplying both the numerator and the denominator by 2.

This way we get two equivalent fractions, namely: 26 + 16.​

Example sum 2: 23 + 15

In this example it isn't possible to make the smallest denominator the same as the largest denominator in one go.
That's why we try to multiply the largest denominator by 2 and then see whether that can be divided by the smallest denominator. If that doesn't work, we try multiplying by 3, 4, etc.

The largest denominator is 5. 5 x 2 = 10 Now we look whether 10 can be divided by 3. No, impossible. Now we try 5 x 3 = 15. 15 can be divided by 3.

Now we need to make both denominators 15. It's important to multiply both the numerator and the denominator by the same number. To change 5 -> 15 we multiply by 3
15 becomes 315.

To change 3 -> 15 we multiply by 5
23 then becomes 615.

23 + 15 -> 615 + 315