math help

What is 10/11 + 5/8?

What is 10/11 + 5/8?

This is how to add

10
11
+
5
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 10 by 8, and get 80, then we multiply 11 by 8 and get 88.

10/11 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 5 by 11, and get 55, then multiply 11 by 8 and get 88.

5/8 times 11

The problem now has new fractions to add:

80
88
+
55
88

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

80 + 55 = 135

This yields the answer

135
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 10/11 + 5/8

10
11
+
5
8
=
135
88
© 2014 Randy Tayler