math help

What is 49/9 + 2/6?

What is 49/9 + 2/6?

This is how we add

49
9
+
2
6

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 49 by 6, and get 294, then we multiply 9 by 6 and get 54.

49/9 times 6

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 9, and get 18, then multiply 9 by 6 and get 54.

2/6 times 9

The problem now has new fractions to add:

294
54
+
18
54

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

294 + 18 = 312

This yields the answer

312
54

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:

312
54
÷ 2 =
156
27

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:

156
27
÷ 3 =
52
9

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 9. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 49/9 + 2/6

49
9
+
2
6
=
52
9
© 2014 Randy Tayler