math help

What is 13/6 + 3/8?

What is 13/6 + 3/8?

This is how you add

13
6
+
3
8

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 13 by 8, and get 104, then we multiply 6 by 8 and get 48.

13/6 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 6, and get 18, then multiply 6 by 8 and get 48.

3/8 times 6

The problem now has new fractions to add:

104
48
+
18
48

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

104 + 18 = 122

The sum we get is

122
48

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:

122
48
÷ 2 =
61
24

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...

No good. 29 is larger than 24. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 13/6 + 3/8

13
6
+
3
8
=
61
24
© 2014 Randy Tayler