math help

What is 24/26 + 1/3?

What is 24/26 + 1/3?

Here's how you add

24
26
+
1
3

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 24 by 3, and get 72, then we multiply 26 by 3 and get 78.

24/26 times 3

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 26, and get 26, then multiply 26 by 3 and get 78.

1/3 times 26

The problem now has new fractions to add:

72
78
+
26
78

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

72 + 26 = 98

The sum we get is

98
78

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:

98
78
÷ 2 =
49
39

Let's try dividing by that again...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 3...

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...

No good. 41 is larger than 39. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 24/26 + 1/3

24
26
+
1
3
=
49
39
© 2014 Randy Tayler