math help

What is 45/3 + 8/10?

What is 45/3 + 8/10?

This is how we add

45
3
+
8
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 45 by 10, and get 450, then we multiply 3 by 10 and get 30.

45/3 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 8 by 3, and get 24, then multiply 3 by 10 and get 30.

8/10 times 3

The problem now has new fractions to add:

450
30
+
24
30

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

450 + 24 = 474

This yields the answer

474
30

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:

474
30
÷ 2 =
237
15

Let's try dividing by that again...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 3...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 3? Yes! So we reduce it:

237
15
÷ 3 =
79
5

Let's try dividing by that again...

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 45/3 + 8/10

45
3
+
8
10
=
79
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler