math help

What is 12/13 + 3/6?

What is 12/13 + 3/6?

This is how to add

12
13
+
3
6

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 6, and get 72, then we multiply 13 by 6 and get 78.

12/13 times 6

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 13, and get 39, then multiply 13 by 6 and get 78.

3/6 times 13

The problem now has new fractions to add:

72
78
+
39
78

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

72 + 39 = 111

This yields the answer

111
78

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...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 3? Yes! So we reduce it:

111
78
÷ 3 =
37
26

Now, try the same number again.

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 26. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 12/13 + 3/6

12
13
+
3
6
=
37
26
© 2014 Randy Tayler