What is 31/12 + 3/8?

Here's how you add

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 31 by 8, and get 248, then we multiply 12 by 8 and get 96.

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 12, and get 36, then multiply 12 by 8 and get 96.

The problem now has new fractions to add:

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

248 + 36 = 284

The sum we get is

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:

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

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...

No good. 29 is larger than 24. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 31/12 + 3/8