3. Twelve-eighteenths of Mr. Parker's fifth grade class ride the bus. Four-eighteenths of his class walk to school. What fraction of Mr. Parker's class either walk or come to school by bus?

Let's first add the fractions of students who ride the bus and those who walk to school. We have twelve-eighteenths (12/18) and four-eighteenths (4/18). Adding those together: \( \frac{12}{18} + \frac{4}{18} = \frac{16}{18} \). Now, we can simplify this fraction by dividing the numerator and denominator by 2: \( \frac{16 \div 2}{18 \div 2} = \frac{8}{9} \). So, eight-ninths of Mr. Parker's class either walk or ride the bus. Now, let’s think about the bus and walking combo! When you look at a school’s transportation options, it’s often striking how much reliance there is on buses—especially in larger communities. The bus serves not just a practical purpose but also builds friendships as students mingle on the ride! And on that note, remember that adding fractions requires you to have a common denominator—so always double-check that first! A common mistake is to try adding the numerators and denominators without making them match, which can lead to incorrect answers. Keep your fractions aligned, and you’ll be on the right track!