math help

What is 30/50 + 2/4?

What is 30/50 + 2/4?

This is how you add

30
50
+
2
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 30 by 4, and get 120, then we multiply 50 by 4 and get 200.

30/50 times 4

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 50, and get 100, then multiply 50 by 4 and get 200.

2/4 times 50

The problem now has new fractions to add:

120
200
+
100
200

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

120 + 100 = 220

The sum we get is

220
200

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:

220
200
÷ 2 =
110
100

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 2? Yes! So we reduce it:

110
100
÷ 2 =
55
50

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...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 5...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 5? Yes! So we reduce it:

55
50
÷ 5 =
11
10

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 7...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 11...

No good. 11 is larger than 10. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 30/50 + 2/4

30
50
+
2
4
=
11
10
© 2014 Randy Tayler