math help

What is 36/4 + 4/10?

What is 36/4 + 4/10?

Here's how you add

36
4
+
4
10

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 10, and get 360, then we multiply 4 by 10 and get 40.

36/4 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 4, and get 16, then multiply 4 by 10 and get 40.

4/10 times 4

The problem now has new fractions to add:

360
40
+
16
40

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

360 + 16 = 376

The sum we get is

376
40

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:

376
40
÷ 2 =
188
20

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

188
20
÷ 2 =
94
10

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

94
10
÷ 2 =
47
5

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...

No good. 7 is larger than 5. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 36/4 + 4/10

36
4
+
4
10
=
47
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler