math help

What is 1/16 + 7/10?

What is 1/16 + 7/10?

This is how to add

1
16
+
7
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 16 by 10 and get 160.

1/16 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 7 by 16, and get 112, then multiply 16 by 10 and get 160.

7/10 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

10
160
+
112
160

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

10 + 112 = 122

This yields the answer

122
160

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
160
÷ 2 =
61
80

Now, try the same number again.

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

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...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 31...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 37...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 41...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 43...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 47...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 53...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 59...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 61...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 67...

No good. 67 is larger than 61. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 1/16 + 7/10

1
16
+
7
10
=
61
80
© 2014 Randy Tayler