math help

What is 2/10 + 2/5?

What is 2/10 + 2/5?

Here's how you add

2
10
+
2
5

Step 1

Our denominators (bottom numbers) don't match, so we can't add yet.

10 goes into 5 evenly, so we only need to multiply one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 2 by 2, and get 4, then we multiply 5 by 2 and get 10.

2/5 times 2

We now have a new problem, that looks like this:

2
10
+
4
10

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

2 + 4 = 6

Answer:

6
10

Step 3

Now, do we need to simplify this fraction?

First, we attempt to divide it by 2...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 2? Yes! So we reduce it:

6
10
÷ 2 =
3
5

Now, try the same number again.

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 5...

No good. 5 is larger than 3. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 2/10 + 2/5

2
10
+
2
5
=
3
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler