math help

What is 45/4 + 4/9?

What is 45/4 + 4/9?

This is how to add

45
4
+
4
9

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 9, and get 405, then we multiply 4 by 9 and get 36.

45/4 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 4, and get 16, then multiply 4 by 9 and get 36.

4/9 times 4

The problem now has new fractions to add:

405
36
+
16
36

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

405 + 16 = 421

The sum we get is

421
36

Step 3

The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can.

To find out, we try dividing it by 2...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 3...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 5...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 7...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 11...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 13...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 17...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 19...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 23...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 29...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 31...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 37...

No good. 37 is larger than 36. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 45/4 + 4/9

45
4
+
4
9
=
421
36
© 2014 Randy Tayler