Fractions Calculator
Add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions with exact math: 1/2 + 1/3 = 5/6, never a rounding error, with each step shown.
Runs entirely on your device - nothing is ever uploaded.
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How to use the fractions calculator
- Enter the two numerators and denominators (leave a denominator blank for a whole number).
- Pick +, −, ×, or ÷.
- Read the simplified fraction, the mixed number, and the decimal together.
What is a fractions calculator
A fractions calculator adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides fractions and shows each step of the working. This one returns three forms of every answer - the simplified fraction, the mixed number, and the decimal - so the result matches whatever format your homework asks for. Every step runs in integer arithmetic, which means 1/3 + 1/6 lands on exactly 1/2, never 0.4999....
Parts of a fraction: numerator and denominator
A fraction has a numerator on top and a denominator below. The denominator counts how many equal parts make the whole, and the numerator counts how many of those parts you have. Picture a pie cut into 6 slices: one slice is 1/6 of the pie. Eat 2 slices and 4/6 remains, which simplifies to 2/3. Note that the denominator can never be 0, since dividing by zero is undefined.
Adding fractions
Addition needs a common denominator: multiply the top and bottom of each fraction so both bottoms match, then add the tops. For 2/5 + 1/4, that gives 8/20 + 5/20 = 13/20. A shortcut is the least common multiple of the denominators: for 5/6 + 1/4 the LCM of 6 and 4 is 12, so 10/12 + 3/12 = 13/12, which usually arrives already simplified.
Subtracting fractions
Subtraction works exactly like addition once the denominators match - align them, then subtract the numerators. For 5/6 - 1/3, convert 1/3 to 2/6, giving 5/6 - 2/6 = 3/6, which simplifies to 1/2. This calculator shows the alignment step so borrowing across mixed numbers never gets lost.
Multiplying fractions
Multiplication needs no common denominator: multiply the numerators together and the denominators together, then simplify. For 2/3 × 3/5, that is 6/15 = 2/5. Canceling shared factors before multiplying keeps the numbers small - the 3s cancel here, leaving 2/5 directly.
Dividing fractions
To divide, flip the second fraction into its reciprocal and multiply. The reciprocal swaps numerator and denominator, so 2/7 becomes 7/2. For 3/5 ÷ 2/7, compute 3/5 × 7/2 = 21/10, which is 2 1/10 as a mixed number. Division by a fraction smaller than 1 always gives a larger answer, which is a useful sanity check.
Simplifying, mixed numbers, and decimals
Simplification divides top and bottom by their greatest common factor: 12/18 shares a GCF of 6, so it reduces to 2/3. When the numerator exceeds the denominator, the result converts to a mixed number - 21/10 becomes 2 1/10. Decimals convert by place value: 0.375 extends three places, so it equals 375/1000 = 3/8, while 1/2 is exactly 0.5. The calculator shows all three forms side by side.