math help

What is 21/33 + 5/7?

What is 21/33 + 5/7?

This is how we add

21
33
+
5
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 21 by 7, and get 147, then we multiply 33 by 7 and get 231.

21/33 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 5 by 33, and get 165, then multiply 33 by 7 and get 231.

5/7 times 33

The problem now has new fractions to add:

147
231
+
165
231

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

147 + 165 = 312

This yields the answer

312
231

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:

312
231
÷ 3 =
104
77

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...

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...

No good. 79 is larger than 77. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 21/33 + 5/7

21
33
+
5
7
=
104
77
© 2014 Randy Tayler