math help

What is 21/63 + 4/10?

What is 21/63 + 4/10?

Here's how to add

21
63
+
4
10

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 10, and get 210, then we multiply 63 by 10 and get 630.

21/63 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 63, and get 252, then multiply 63 by 10 and get 630.

4/10 times 63

The problem now has new fractions to add:

210
630
+
252
630

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

210 + 252 = 462

This yields the answer

462
630

Step 3

The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can.

To find out, we try dividing it by 2...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 2? Yes! So we reduce it:

462
630
÷ 2 =
231
315

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 3...

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

231
315
÷ 3 =
77
105

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:

77
105
÷ 7 =
11
15

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. 13 is larger than 11. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 21/63 + 4/10

21
63
+
4
10
=
11
15
© 2014 Randy Tayler