math help

What is 64/16 + 1/9?

What is 64/16 + 1/9?

This is how to add

64
16
+
1
9

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 64 by 9, and get 576, then we multiply 16 by 9 and get 144.

64/16 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 16, and get 16, then multiply 16 by 9 and get 144.

1/9 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

576
144
+
16
144

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

576 + 16 = 592

This yields the answer

592
144

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:

592
144
÷ 2 =
296
72

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

296
72
÷ 2 =
148
36

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

148
36
÷ 2 =
74
18

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

74
18
÷ 2 =
37
9

Let's try dividing by that again...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 3...

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...

No good. 11 is larger than 9. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 64/16 + 1/9

64
16
+
1
9
=
37
9
© 2014 Randy Tayler