math help

What is 20/17 + 1/8?

What is 20/17 + 1/8?

Here's how we add

20
17
+
1
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 20 by 8, and get 160, then we multiply 17 by 8 and get 136.

20/17 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 17, and get 17, then multiply 17 by 8 and get 136.

1/8 times 17

The problem now has new fractions to add:

160
136
+
17
136

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

160 + 17 = 177

The sum we get is

177
136

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...

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...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 71...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 73...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 79...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 83...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 89...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 97...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 101...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 103...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 107...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 109...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 113...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 127...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 131...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 137...

No good. 137 is larger than 136. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 20/17 + 1/8

20
17
+
1
8
=
177
136
© 2014 Randy Tayler