math help

What is 64/16 + 3/7?

What is 64/16 + 3/7?

This is how to add

64
16
+
3
7

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 7, and get 448, then we multiply 16 by 7 and get 112.

64/16 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 16, and get 48, then multiply 16 by 7 and get 112.

3/7 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

448
112
+
48
112

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

448 + 48 = 496

This yields the answer

496
112

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:

496
112
÷ 2 =
248
56

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

248
56
÷ 2 =
124
28

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

124
28
÷ 2 =
62
14

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

62
14
÷ 2 =
31
7

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 7. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 64/16 + 3/7

64
16
+
3
7
=
31
7
© 2014 Randy Tayler