math help

What is 8/11 + 7/8?

What is 8/11 + 7/8?

This is how to add

8
11
+
7
8

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 8 by 8, and get 64, then we multiply 11 by 8 and get 88.

8/11 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 7 by 11, and get 77, then multiply 11 by 8 and get 88.

7/8 times 11

The problem now has new fractions to add:

64
88
+
77
88

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

64 + 77 = 141

This yields the answer

141
88

Step 3

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

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

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

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

Nope. Try the next prime number, 7...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 11...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 13...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 17...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 19...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 23...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 29...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 31...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 37...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 41...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 43...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 47...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 53...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 59...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 61...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 67...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 71...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 73...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 79...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 83...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 89...

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

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 8/11 + 7/8

8
11
+
7
8
=
141
88
© 2014 Randy Tayler