math help

What is 11/32 + 1/2?

What is 11/32 + 1/2?

Here's how we add

11
32
+
1
2

Step 1

Our denominators (bottom numbers) don't match, so we can't add yet.

Since 2 is evenly divided by 32, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 1 by 16, and get 16, then we multiply 2 by 16 and get 32.

1/2 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

11
32
+
16
32

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

11 + 16 = 27

The sum we get is

27
32

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...

No good. 29 is larger than 27. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 11/32 + 1/2

11
32
+
1
2
=
27
32
© 2014 Randy Tayler