math help

What is 5/100 + 2/11?

What is 5/100 + 2/11?

This is how to add

5
100
+
2
11

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 5 by 11, and get 55, then we multiply 100 by 11 and get 1100.

5/100 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 100, and get 200, then multiply 100 by 11 and get 1100.

2/11 times 100

The problem now has new fractions to add:

55
1100
+
200
1100

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

55 + 200 = 255

The sum we get is

255
1100

Step 3

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

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

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

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

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 5? Yes! So we reduce it:

255
1100
÷ 5 =
51
220

Now, try the same number again.

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...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 41...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 43...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 47...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 53...

No good. 53 is larger than 51. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 5/100 + 2/11

5
100
+
2
11
=
51
220
© 2014 Randy Tayler