math help

What is 21/33 + 1/11?

What is 21/33 + 1/11?

This is how we add

21
33
+
1
11

Step 1

Now we need to make our denominators match.

Since 11 is evenly divided by 33, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 1 by 3, and get 3, then we multiply 11 by 3 and get 33.

1/11 times 3

The problem now has new fractions to add:

21
33
+
3
33

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

21 + 3 = 24

This yields the answer

24
33

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...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 3? Yes! So we reduce it:

24
33
÷ 3 =
8
11

Let's try dividing by that again...

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...

No good. 11 is larger than 8. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 21/33 + 1/11

21
33
+
1
11
=
8
11
© 2014 Randy Tayler