math help

What is 1/14 + 1/10?

What is 1/14 + 1/10?

Here's how you add

1
14
+
1
10

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 1 by 10, and get 10, then we multiply 14 by 10 and get 140.

1/14 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 14, and get 14, then multiply 14 by 10 and get 140.

1/10 times 14

The problem now has new fractions to add:

10
140
+
14
140

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

10 + 14 = 24

This yields the answer

24
140

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:

24
140
÷ 2 =
12
70

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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

12
70
÷ 2 =
6
35

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 3...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 5...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 7...

No good. 7 is larger than 6. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 1/14 + 1/10

1
14
+
1
10
=
6
35
© 2014 Randy Tayler