The “Butterfly” Method To Add Or Subtract Two Fractions Without Calculating The Lowest Common Denominator.

When we were students in school, one of our biggest fears was math questions or tests; There are those who have always loved it and those who have always hated it, the point is that mathematics is one of the most fundamental subjects of study that exists. Do you remember the time when you were “forced” by your teacher or your teacher to calculate the lowest common denominator between two fractions? Maybe not, but here is an easy and fun way to calculate the addition and subtraction between two fractions without going through this calculation.

#1

image credit: YouTube

Following the steps in this YouTube video posted by math professor Dmitry Davidyuk, the butterfly method of subtracting or adding two fractions without going through the calculation of the lowest common denominator seems easier to do than to say. First, write the operation to be performed on a piece of paper, which will consist of two fractions and one subtraction or addition.

Then you need to multiply the numerator of the first fraction (the bottom number), by the denominator of the second (the top number), then do the same with the denominator of the first and the numerator of the second, until ‘until you have drawn a butterfly wing drawing .

#2

image credit: YouTube

The result will be a new fraction whose numerator will be the sum of the two resulting numbers, while the denominator will be the product of the denominators of the added fractions. A method that we assure you is easier to do than say , and which could greatly help your children struggling with this matter during their homework.

Watch the steps here to practice the butterfly method.

source used: Dmitry Davidyuk