math help

What is 50/8 + 6/10?

What is 50/8 + 6/10?

Here's how we add

50
8
+
6
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 50 by 10, and get 500, then we multiply 8 by 10 and get 80.

50/8 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 6 by 8, and get 48, then multiply 8 by 10 and get 80.

6/10 times 8

The problem now has new fractions to add:

500
80
+
48
80

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

500 + 48 = 548

This yields the answer

548
80

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:

548
80
÷ 2 =
274
40

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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

274
40
÷ 2 =
137
20

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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. 23 is larger than 20. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 50/8 + 6/10

50
8
+
6
10
=
137
20
© 2014 Randy Tayler