Here's how to add
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Step 1Of 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 11, and get 231, then we multiply 63 by 11 and get 693. Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 63, and get 189, then multiply 63 by 11 and get 693. The problem now has new fractions to add:
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Step 2Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators. 231 + 189 = 420 This yields the answer
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Step 3The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can. To find out, we try dividing it by 2... No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 3... Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 3? Yes! So we reduce it:
So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again. No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 5... No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 7... Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 7? Yes! So we reduce it:
So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again. No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 11... No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 13... No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 17... No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 19... No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 23... No good. 23 is larger than 20. So we're done reducing. And we're done! Here's the final answer to 21/63 + 3/11
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