math help

What is 20/17 + 5/12?

What is 20/17 + 5/12?

Here's how you add

20
17
+
5
12

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 12, and get 240, then we multiply 17 by 12 and get 204.

20/17 times 12

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 5 by 17, and get 85, then multiply 17 by 12 and get 204.

5/12 times 17

The problem now has new fractions to add:

240
204
+
85
204

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

240 + 85 = 325

The sum we get is

325
204

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...

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

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 7...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 11...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 13...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 17...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 19...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 23...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 29...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 31...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 37...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 41...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 43...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 47...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 53...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 59...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 61...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 67...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 71...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 73...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 79...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 83...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 89...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 97...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 101...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 103...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 107...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 109...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 113...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 127...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 131...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 137...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 139...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 149...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 151...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 157...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 163...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 167...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 173...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 179...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 181...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 191...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 193...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 197...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 199...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 211...

No good. 211 is larger than 204. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 20/17 + 5/12

20
17
+
5
12
=
325
204
© 2014 Randy Tayler