Fraction Calculator
Operations, simplify, compare and convert
Fraction Calculator: Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide and Simplify
This free fraction calculator adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides fractions and mixed numbers, and it shows every step so you can follow the method rather than just copy an answer. It also simplifies fractions, compares two fractions, and converts between fractions, decimals and percentages in both directions. Each result is given as a simplified fraction, a mixed number, a decimal and a percentage, with bars that show how big the fractions are.
Quick answer: 3/4 + 1/2 = 5/4, which is 1 1/4 as a mixed number, 1.25 as a decimal and 125% as a percentage. Pick a tab, type the numerator and denominator of each fraction, and the answer and working appear as you type.
Adding and Subtracting Fractions
Fractions can only be added or subtracted when they share a denominator. The calculator finds the lowest common denominator, rewrites each fraction, combines the numerators and simplifies the result. For 2/3 − 1/4 the common denominator is 12, so the sum becomes 8/12 − 3/12, which is 5/12.
Multiplying and Dividing Fractions
Multiplying is direct: multiply the numerators, multiply the denominators, then simplify. Dividing means multiplying by the reciprocal, so the second fraction is flipped first. For example 1 1/2 × 2/3 turns into 3/2 × 2/3 = 6/6 = 1, and 5/6 ÷ 5/12 becomes 5/6 × 12/5 = 2.
Fraction Formulas
To change a fraction into a decimal, divide the numerator by the denominator, and multiply by 100 for the percentage.
Fraction Examples
| Task | Example | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Add | 3/4 + 1/2 | 5/4 = 1 1/4 |
| Subtract | 2/3 − 1/4 | 5/12 |
| Multiply | 1 1/2 × 2/3 | 1 |
| Divide | 5/6 ÷ 5/12 | 2 |
| Simplify | 12/18 | 2/3 |
| To decimal and percent | 3/8 | 0.375 = 37.5% |
| Compare | 3/4 and 2/3 | 9 vs 8, so 3/4 is larger |
Mixed Numbers, Decimals and Percentages
A mixed number such as 1 1/4 is a whole number plus a fraction, and it is the same as the improper fraction 5/4. Enter it in the Whole, Numerator and Denominator boxes and the calculator converts it for you. On the Convert tab, 0.125 becomes 1/8 and 12.5% becomes 1/8 too. Some fractions never end as decimals, so 1/3 is shown as 0.(3), with brackets around the repeating digit. To work with percentages further, use the percentage calculator.
Comparing Fractions
To see which fraction is larger without finding a common denominator, cross-multiply. For 3/4 and 2/3, 3 × 3 = 9 and 2 × 4 = 8, so 3/4 is the larger fraction. The Compare tab shows this working, the decimal value of each fraction and the difference between them.
Limits and Things to Know
A denominator can never be 0, and you cannot divide by a fraction that equals 0, so the calculator shows a message in those cases. The Whole, Numerator and Denominator boxes take whole numbers up to 12 digits; use the Convert tab when you have a decimal. For a negative mixed number, put the minus sign on the whole number. Fraction results are exact, while decimals are rounded to 6 places and percentages to 4. For trigonometry or roots alongside your fractions, the scientific calculator is the better tool.
Who Can Use This Calculator?
Students use it to check homework and to see the steps behind an answer, and teachers use the bars to show why equivalent fractions are equal. Cooks use it to scale recipes, and carpenters and DIY builders use it for measurements in inches and fractions of an inch.
How to Use This Fraction Calculator
Choose a tab
Operations adds, subtracts, multiplies or divides. Simplify, Compare and Convert handle the other jobs.
Enter your fractions
Type the numerator and denominator. Use the Whole box only for mixed numbers like 1 1/2.
Pick an operation
On the Operations tab, tap + − × or ÷ to choose how to combine the two fractions.
Read the answer and working
See the simplified fraction, mixed number, decimal, percentage, the bars and the step-by-step working.