Fraction Calculator with Steps
Add, subtract, multiply, or divide two fractions and see the full working, including the common denominator and the GCD used to simplify.
Fill in both fractions to see the result and the steps.
Simplify a single fraction
Fraction and mixed-number results are exact; decimals are rounded to 6 decimal places.
How it works
- Enter the numerator and denominator of each fraction — fill in the whole-number box too if you are working with mixed numbers.
- Pick an operation: add, subtract, multiply, or divide. The result updates as you type.
- Read the simplified answer with its mixed-number and decimal forms, then follow the numbered steps to see how it was reached.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the calculator simplify fractions?
- It finds the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numerator and denominator with the Euclidean algorithm, then divides both by it. The exact GCD used is shown in the steps, so you can reproduce the simplification by hand and check your own working against it.
- Can it handle mixed numbers and negative fractions?
- Yes. Each fraction has an optional whole-number box, and mixed numbers are converted to improper fractions as the first step. Negative values are supported in any field; a negative denominator is normalized by moving the sign to the numerator before calculating.
- Why does the decimal result look rounded?
- Many fractions, such as 1/3 or 5/6, produce repeating decimals that never terminate. The fraction and mixed-number results are always exact, while the decimal form is rounded to six decimal places purely for readability.
- Is anything I enter uploaded to a server?
- No. The entire calculation runs in JavaScript inside your browser, and the page makes no network requests with your numbers. You can load the page, disconnect from the internet, and it will keep working exactly the same.
- What is the largest number I can enter?
- Each field accepts whole numbers up to 1,000,000, positive or negative. This keeps every intermediate product inside the range where JavaScript integer arithmetic is exact, so results are never silently approximated. If a combination would still overflow, the calculator tells you instead of guessing.
About this tool
This fraction calculator adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides two fractions and shows the complete working for every answer. Each fraction takes a numerator, a denominator, and an optional whole part, so proper fractions, improper fractions, mixed numbers, and negatives are all handled. The answer appears in three forms at once: a fully simplified fraction, a mixed number, and a decimal, and everything updates live as you type.
All of the arithmetic happens in your browser — nothing you enter is sent anywhere. Mixed numbers are first converted to improper fractions. For addition and subtraction the calculator finds the least common multiple of the two denominators, rewrites both fractions over that common denominator, and combines the numerators. Multiplication works straight across, and division inverts the second fraction and multiplies. The raw result is then reduced by dividing the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, computed with the Euclidean algorithm.
The step list is the point of the tool. It names the common denominator, shows the rewritten equivalent fractions, states the operation on the numerators, and reports the exact GCD used in the final simplification. That mirrors how fraction arithmetic is taught, which makes the calculator useful for checking homework line by line rather than just copying an answer. A separate row at the bottom simplifies a single fraction on its own, handy when you only need to reduce something like 42/56.
Typical uses include scaling recipe quantities, working with imperial measurements in woodworking where sixteenths and thirty-seconds of an inch are routine, and checking coursework. A practical tip: when comparing two fractions, subtract one from the other — a positive result means the first is larger, and the exact difference often matters more than which one wins.