Final answer:
Like fractions are characterized by having the same denominator. When performing addition or subtraction with like fractions, only the numerators are combined while the denominator remains unchanged. A fraction where the numerator is equal to the denominator, such as 4/4, simplifies to 1.
Step-by-step explanation:
Like fractions are characterized by having the same denominator. They are called 'like' because they have a common base, which makes operations like addition and subtraction straightforward. Unlike the numerators, the denominators are never added together when performing these operations. Instead, when adding or subtracting like fractions, you simply add or subtract the numerators and keep the denominator the same.
For instance, if we're considering the fractions 1/4 and 3/4, both have the same denominator of 4, which makes them like fractions. We can add the numerators (1 + 3) to get 4, and keep the denominator as 4, resulting in the fraction 4/4, which simplifies to 1. This is because any fraction with the same number in the numerator and the denominator is equal to 1, which is a key concept in understanding fractions and their properties.