math help

What is 57/7 + 8/10?

What is 57/7 + 8/10?

Here's how you add

57
7
+
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 57 by 10, and get 570, then we multiply 7 by 10 and get 70.

57/7 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 8 by 7, and get 56, then multiply 7 by 10 and get 70.

8/10 times 7

The problem now has new fractions to add:

570
70
+
56
70

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

570 + 56 = 626

This yields the answer

626
70

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:

626
70
÷ 2 =
313
35

Now, try the same number again.

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 5...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 7...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 11...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 13...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 17...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 19...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 23...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 29...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 31...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 37...

No good. 37 is larger than 35. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 57/7 + 8/10

57
7
+
8
10
=
313
35
© 2014 Randy Tayler