math help

What is 24/26 + 3/9?

What is 24/26 + 3/9?

This is how to add

24
26
+
3
9

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 9, and get 216, then we multiply 26 by 9 and get 234.

24/26 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 26, and get 78, then multiply 26 by 9 and get 234.

3/9 times 26

The problem now has new fractions to add:

216
234
+
78
234

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

216 + 78 = 294

The sum we get is

294
234

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:

294
234
÷ 2 =
147
117

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:

147
117
÷ 3 =
49
39

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...

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. So next you try the next prime number, which is 29...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 31...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 37...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 41...

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

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 24/26 + 3/9

24
26
+
3
9
=
49
39
© 2014 Randy Tayler