math help

What is 12/13 + 1/4?

What is 12/13 + 1/4?

This is how you add

12
13
+
1
4

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 12 by 4, and get 48, then we multiply 13 by 4 and get 52.

12/13 times 4

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 13, and get 13, then multiply 13 by 4 and get 52.

1/4 times 13

The problem now has new fractions to add:

48
52
+
13
52

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

48 + 13 = 61

The sum we get is

61
52

Step 3

The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can.

To find out, we try dividing it by 2...

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...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 41...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 43...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 47...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 53...

No good. 53 is larger than 52. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 12/13 + 1/4

12
13
+
1
4
=
61
52
© 2014 Randy Tayler