Fraction Calculator: Add, Subtract, Multiply, and Divide Fractions
Fractions are a fundamental concept in mathematics representing parts of a whole. A fraction consists of a numerator (top number) and a denominator (bottom number), where the denominator indicates how many equal parts make up the whole and the numerator indicates how many of those parts are being considered. While simple in concept, performing arithmetic operations with fractions requires specific rules that many students and professionals find challenging.
Our fraction calculator handles the four basic arithmetic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For addition and subtraction, the calculator finds a common denominator by cross-multiplying, then adds or subtracts the numerators. For multiplication, it simply multiplies numerators together and denominators together. For division, it multiplies by the reciprocal of the second fraction.
Every result is automatically simplified to its lowest terms using the greatest common divisor (GCD) algorithm. For example, 4/8 is simplified to 1/2, and 6/9 becomes 2/3. The calculator also handles negative fractions correctly, ensuring the negative sign is always placed on the numerator for consistency. Both the fractional and decimal representations are displayed.
This tool is invaluable for students learning fraction arithmetic, teachers checking homework, cooks adjusting recipe proportions, engineers working with measurements, and anyone who needs quick, accurate fraction calculations. All computation happens instantly in your browser with no server calls required, making it fast, private, and always available.