math help

What is 12/1 + 8/10?

What is 12/1 + 8/10?

This is how we add

12
1
+
8
10

Step 1

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

10 goes into 1 evenly, so we only need to multiply one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 12 by 10, and get 120, then we multiply 1 by 10 and get 10.

12/1 times 10

We now have a new problem, that looks like this:

120
10
+
8
10

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

120 + 8 = 128

That gives us the sum, which is

128
10

Step 3

Now, do we need to simplify this fraction?

First, we attempt to divide it by 2...

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

128
10
÷ 2 =
64
5

Now, try the same number again.

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 5...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 7...

No good. 7 is larger than 5. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 12/1 + 8/10

12
1
+
8
10
=
64
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler