math help

What is 48/30 + 4/8?

What is 48/30 + 4/8?

This is how to add

48
30
+
4
8

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 48 by 8, and get 384, then we multiply 30 by 8 and get 240.

48/30 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 30, and get 120, then multiply 30 by 8 and get 240.

4/8 times 30

The problem now has new fractions to add:

384
240
+
120
240

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

384 + 120 = 504

This yields the answer

504
240

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:

504
240
÷ 2 =
252
120

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

252
120
÷ 2 =
126
60

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

126
60
÷ 2 =
63
30

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:

63
30
÷ 3 =
21
10

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...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 11...

No good. 11 is larger than 10. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 48/30 + 4/8

48
30
+
4
8
=
21
10
© 2014 Randy Tayler