Explain why you cannot add or subtract fractions with unlike denominators while you can add or subtract fractions with like denominators. Include one or more real-world examples in your explanation.(2 points)
You cannot add or subtract fractions with unlike denominators because the denominators represent the total number of equal parts in each fraction. If the denominators are not the same, then the fractions represent different-sized parts, making it impossible to combine them directly.
For example, imagine you want to add 1/2 of a pizza and 1/3 of a pizza. The denominator in each fraction represents the total number of equal slices in each respective pizza. If the pizzas have different numbers of slices, they cannot be added together because the fractions represent different-sized parts.
However, when you have fractions with the same denominator, it means the total number of equal parts in each fraction is the same. So it's like comparing apples to apples – you can easily add or subtract them because they represent the same-sized parts.
Continuing with the pizza example, if you want to add 1/4 of a pizza with 2/4 of a pizza, you can do so because both fractions have the same denominator of 4, indicating that they represent parts of the same-sized pizza.