math help

What is 10/6 + 3/11?

What is 10/6 + 3/11?

This is how you add

10
6
+
3
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 10 by 11, and get 110, then we multiply 6 by 11 and get 66.

10/6 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 6, and get 18, then multiply 6 by 11 and get 66.

3/11 times 6

The problem now has new fractions to add:

110
66
+
18
66

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

110 + 18 = 128

The sum we get is

128
66

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:

128
66
÷ 2 =
64
33

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...

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...

No good. 37 is larger than 33. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 10/6 + 3/11

10
6
+
3
11
=
64
33
© 2014 Randy Tayler