math help

What is 60/48 + 4/10?

What is 60/48 + 4/10?

This is how we add

60
48
+
4
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 60 by 10, and get 600, then we multiply 48 by 10 and get 480.

60/48 times 10

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 48, and get 192, then multiply 48 by 10 and get 480.

4/10 times 48

The problem now has new fractions to add:

600
480
+
192
480

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

600 + 192 = 792

This yields the answer

792
480

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:

792
480
÷ 2 =
396
240

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:

396
240
÷ 2 =
198
120

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:

198
120
÷ 2 =
99
60

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...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 3? Yes! So we reduce it:

99
60
÷ 3 =
33
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 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 60/48 + 4/10

60
48
+
4
10
=
33
20
© 2014 Randy Tayler