math help

What is 24/5 + 1/8?

What is 24/5 + 1/8?

This is how we add

24
5
+
1
8

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 8, and get 192, then we multiply 5 by 8 and get 40.

24/5 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 5, and get 5, then multiply 5 by 8 and get 40.

1/8 times 5

The problem now has new fractions to add:

192
40
+
5
40

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

192 + 5 = 197

The sum we get is

197
40

Step 3

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

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

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 3...

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 40. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 24/5 + 1/8

24
5
+
1
8
=
197
40
© 2014 Randy Tayler