math help

What is 34/3 + 9/12?

What is 34/3 + 9/12?

This is how you add

34
3
+
9
12

Step 1

Our denominators (bottom numbers) don't match, so we can't add yet.

Since 3 is evenly divided by 12, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 34 by 4, and get 136, then we multiply 3 by 4 and get 12.

34/3 times 4

The problem now has new fractions to add:

136
12
+
9
12

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

136 + 9 = 145

This yields the answer

145
12

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...

No good. 13 is larger than 12. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 34/3 + 9/12

34
3
+
9
12
=
145
12
© 2014 Randy Tayler