math help

What is 24/5 + 1/4?

What is 24/5 + 1/4?

This is how to add

24
5
+
1
4

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 4, and get 96, then we multiply 5 by 4 and get 20.

24/5 times 4

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 5, and get 5, then multiply 5 by 4 and get 20.

1/4 times 5

The problem now has new fractions to add:

96
20
+
5
20

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

96 + 5 = 101

This yields the answer

101
20

Step 3

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

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

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 5...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 7...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 11...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 13...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 17...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 19...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 23...

No good. 23 is larger than 20. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 24/5 + 1/4

24
5
+
1
4
=
101
20
© 2014 Randy Tayler