math help

What is 36/4 + 3/11?

What is 36/4 + 3/11?

Here's how you add

36
4
+
3
11

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 36 by 11, and get 396, then we multiply 4 by 11 and get 44.

36/4 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 4, and get 12, then multiply 4 by 11 and get 44.

3/11 times 4

The problem now has new fractions to add:

396
44
+
12
44

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

396 + 12 = 408

The sum we get is

408
44

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:

408
44
÷ 2 =
204
22

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

204
22
÷ 2 =
102
11

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...

No good. 13 is larger than 11. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 36/4 + 3/11

36
4
+
3
11
=
102
11
© 2014 Randy Tayler