math help

What is 100/100 + 3/7?

What is 100/100 + 3/7?

Here's how to add

100
100
+
3
7

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 100 by 7, and get 700, then we multiply 100 by 7 and get 700.

100/100 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 100, and get 300, then multiply 100 by 7 and get 700.

3/7 times 100

The problem now has new fractions to add:

700
700
+
300
700

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

700 + 300 = 1000

This yields the answer

1000
700

Step 3

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

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

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

1000
700
÷ 2 =
500
350

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

500
350
÷ 2 =
250
175

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

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

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 5? Yes! So we reduce it:

250
175
÷ 5 =
50
35

Let's try dividing by that again...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 5? Yes! So we reduce it:

50
35
÷ 5 =
10
7

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

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

No good. 11 is larger than 10. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 100/100 + 3/7

100
100
+
3
7
=
10
7
© 2014 Randy Tayler