math help

What is 100/50 + 2/6?

What is 100/50 + 2/6?

Here's how we add

100
50
+
2
6

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 6, and get 600, then we multiply 50 by 6 and get 300.

100/50 times 6

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 50, and get 100, then multiply 50 by 6 and get 300.

2/6 times 50

The problem now has new fractions to add:

600
300
+
100
300

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

600 + 100 = 700

The sum we get is

700
300

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:

700
300
÷ 2 =
350
150

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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

350
150
÷ 2 =
175
75

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 3...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 5...

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

175
75
÷ 5 =
35
15

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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

35
15
÷ 5 =
7
3

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 100/50 + 2/6

100
50
+
2
6
=
7
3
© 2014 Randy Tayler