math help

What is 21/63 + 7/11?

What is 21/63 + 7/11?

Here's how we add

21
63
+
7
11

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 11, and get 231, then we multiply 63 by 11 and get 693.

21/63 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 7 by 63, and get 441, then multiply 63 by 11 and get 693.

7/11 times 63

The problem now has new fractions to add:

231
693
+
441
693

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

231 + 441 = 672

The sum we get is

672
693

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:

672
693
÷ 3 =
224
231

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...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 7? Yes! So we reduce it:

224
231
÷ 7 =
32
33

Let's try dividing by that again...

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...

No good. 37 is larger than 32. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 21/63 + 7/11

21
63
+
7
11
=
32
33
© 2014 Randy Tayler