Fraction word problems help children see that fractions are real amounts: part of a pizza, part of a ribbon, part of a group of cupcakes. These worksheets give every story a picture, either a row of dots to shade for “a fraction of a group” or a fraction bar to color for adding and subtracting.
What is on these worksheets
Fraction of a group: “There are 18 cupcakes. 5/6 of them have sprinkles. How many have sprinkles?” The dots are arranged in equal groups to make the division easy to see.
Adding and subtracting fractions: stories with like denominators, such as two people eating parts of the same pizza, or cutting a piece off a ribbon, plus one “who ran farther?” comparison.
Mixed fraction word problems: a mix of groups, adding, subtracting and comparing.
Each sheet has six problems and an answer key on page 2, with answers simplified where they can be (for example 9/12 = 3/4). They follow Common Core standards 4.NF.B.3d (add and subtract fractions with like denominators in word problems) and 4.NF.B.4 (multiply a fraction by a whole number).
How to solve fraction word problems
Find the whole. Is it one pizza, one meter of ribbon, or a group of 18 cupcakes?
For a fraction of a group, divide then multiply. To find 5/6 of 18, find 1/6 first (18 ÷ 6 = 3), then multiply by 5 (5 × 3 = 15).
For like fractions, add or subtract the numerators. The denominator stays the same: 4/8 + 3/8 = 7/8.
Simplify and check. 9/12 is the same as 3/4. Ask whether the answer makes sense: the amount left over must be smaller than the amount you started with.
A worked example
“Lily has 15 stickers and gives away 1/5 of them. How many stickers does Lily have left?”
One fifth of 15 is 15 ÷ 5 = 3, so Lily gives away 3 stickers. She has 15 − 3 = 12 stickers left. The question asks how many are left, not how many are given away, so it takes two steps.
Common mistakes
Adding the denominators. 2/8 + 3/8 is 5/8, not 5/16. The pieces stay the same size.
Answering the first step only. In “how many are left” stories, finding the fraction is only half the job.
Using different wholes. 1/2 of a small pizza is not the same as 1/2 of a large one, so check that both fractions are of the same thing.
Fraction of a group: split 20 into 5 equal groups, then take 3 of them. 3/5 of 20 = 12.Adding like fractions keeps the slices the same size, so 3 eighths and 2 eighths make 5 eighths.Subtracting fractions: cross out the 4 tenths that are poured out. 3/10 of a liter is left.
10 more fraction word problems with answers
These problems mix finding a fraction of a group, adding and subtracting like fractions, comparing and multiplying a fraction by a whole number.
Read each problem aloud or let your child read it, then check the answer below it. To print the problems as a quiz, with or without the answers, use the print buttons on this page.
There are 12 cookies. 1/4 of them are chocolate. How many cookies are chocolate? Answer: 3 cookies (12 ÷ 4 = 3)
A pizza is cut into 8 slices. Max eats 3/8 of it and Kim eats 2/8. How much of the pizza is eaten? Answer: 5/8 of the pizza
Lea has 3/4 of a meter of ribbon. She uses 1/4 of a meter. How much ribbon is left? Answer: 2/4 = 1/2 of a meter
There are 20 children in a class. 3/5 of them have a pet. How many children have a pet? Answer: 12 children (20 ÷ 5 = 4, then 4 × 3 = 12)
Tom ran 2/6 of a mile and Ana ran 3/6 of a mile. Who ran farther, and by how much? Answer: Ana ran 1/6 of a mile farther
A jug has 7/10 of a liter of juice. Jo pours out 4/10 of a liter. How much juice is left? Answer: 3/10 of a liter
There are 24 marbles. 2/3 of them are blue. How many marbles are not blue? Answer: 8 marbles (16 are blue, and 24 − 16 = 8)
A recipe uses 1/3 cup of oil. How much oil is needed for 5 batches? Answer: 1 2/3 cups (5 × 1/3 = 5/3)
Sara walks 5/8 of a mile to school and 5/8 of a mile home. How far does she walk in all? Answer: 1 1/4 miles (10/8 = 1 2/8 = 1 1/4)
There are 30 balloons. 1/2 are red, 1/3 are blue and the rest are yellow. How many are yellow? Answer: 5 balloons (15 red, 10 blue, and 30 − 25 = 5)
Sorting the problems by type
Children often know how to calculate with fractions but not which calculation a story needs. These clues help.
The story
Kind of problem
What to do
Example
A fraction “of” a number of things
Fraction of a group
Divide by the denominator, multiply by the numerator
3/5 of 20 = 20 ÷ 5 × 3 = 12
Two parts of the same whole, “in all”
Adding like fractions
Add the numerators, keep the denominator
3/8 + 2/8 = 5/8
“How much is left” or “how much more”
Subtracting like fractions
Subtract the numerators, keep the denominator
7/10 − 4/10 = 3/10
The same fraction several times
Fraction times a whole number
Multiply the numerator by the whole number
5 × 1/3 = 5/3 = 1 2/3
Draw the problem first
For a fraction of a group, draw the dots in as many equal groups as the denominator. For 3/5 of 20, make 5 groups of 4 dots and shade 3 groups: 12 dots are shaded. For adding and subtracting, draw one bar and split it into as many equal parts as the denominator. Shading the parts shows at once why 2/8 + 3/8 is 5/8 and not 5/16: the parts stay the same size, there are just more of them.
Frequently asked questions
5 quick answers
How do you solve fraction word problems?
Find the whole, decide whether the story joins, separates or takes part of something, then add, subtract or find a fraction of the amount. Draw a bar or a set of dots to check.
How do you find a fraction of a group?
Divide the group by the denominator, then multiply by the numerator. For example, 2/3 of 9 is 9 ÷ 3 × 2 = 6.
What grade are fraction word problems for?
Simple fraction stories start in grade 3. Adding and subtracting like fractions in word problems is a grade 4 standard, and grade 5 adds unlike denominators.
What picture helps with subtracting fractions word problems?
Draw one bar split into as many equal parts as the denominator, then cross out the parts taken away. For a jug with 7/10 of a liter and 4/10 poured out, 3/10 is left. The amount left must be smaller than the amount you started with.
What is the most common mistake in adding fractions word problems?
Adding the denominators. 2/8 + 3/8 is 5/8, not 5/16, because the pieces stay the same size and there are simply more of them. Shading the parts on one bar shows this at once.
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