math help

What is 20/17 + 2/7?

What is 20/17 + 2/7?

Here's how we add

20
17
+
2
7

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 7, and get 140, then we multiply 17 by 7 and get 119.

20/17 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 17, and get 34, then multiply 17 by 7 and get 119.

2/7 times 17

The problem now has new fractions to add:

140
119
+
34
119

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

140 + 34 = 174

The sum we get is

174
119

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...

No good. 127 is larger than 119. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 20/17 + 2/7

20
17
+
2
7
=
174
119
© 2014 Randy Tayler