math help

What is 15/60 + 5/10?

What is 15/60 + 5/10?

This is how to add

15
60
+
5
10

Step 1

Now we need to make our denominators match.

Since 10 is evenly divided by 60, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 5 by 6, and get 30, then we multiply 10 by 6 and get 60.

5/10 times 6

The problem now has new fractions to add:

15
60
+
30
60

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

15 + 30 = 45

This yields the answer

45
60

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...

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

45
60
÷ 3 =
15
20

Let's try dividing by that again...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 5...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 5? Yes! So we reduce it:

15
20
÷ 5 =
3
4

Let's try dividing by that again...

No good. 5 is larger than 3. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 15/60 + 5/10

15
60
+
5
10
=
3
4
© 2014 Randy Tayler