math help

What is 5/8 + 6/11?

What is 5/8 + 6/11?

This is how you add

5
8
+
6
11

Step 1

Of course, you can't add two fractions if the denominators (bottom numbers) don't match. To get a common denominator, multiply the denominators together. Then we fix the numerators by multiplying each one by their other term's denominator.

Now you multiply 5 by 11, and get 55, then we multiply 8 by 11 and get 88.

5/8 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 6 by 8, and get 48, then multiply 8 by 11 and get 88.

6/11 times 8

The problem now has new fractions to add:

55
88
+
48
88

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

55 + 48 = 103

The sum we get is

103
88

Step 3

The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can.

To find out, we try dividing it by 2...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 3...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 5...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 7...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 11...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 13...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 17...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 19...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 23...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 29...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 31...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 37...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 41...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 43...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 47...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 53...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 59...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 61...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 67...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 71...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 73...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 79...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 83...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 89...

No good. 89 is larger than 88. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 5/8 + 6/11

5
8
+
6
11
=
103
88
© 2014 Randy Tayler