math help

What is 60/48 + 1/5?

What is 60/48 + 1/5?

This is how you add

60
48
+
1
5

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 60 by 5, and get 300, then we multiply 48 by 5 and get 240.

60/48 times 5

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 48, and get 48, then multiply 48 by 5 and get 240.

1/5 times 48

The problem now has new fractions to add:

300
240
+
48
240

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

300 + 48 = 348

This yields the answer

348
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:

348
240
÷ 2 =
174
120

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

174
120
÷ 2 =
87
60

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:

87
60
÷ 3 =
29
20

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...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 13...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 17...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 19...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 23...

No good. 23 is larger than 20. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 60/48 + 1/5

60
48
+
1
5
=
29
20
© 2014 Randy Tayler