math help

What is 64/16 + 4/6?

What is 64/16 + 4/6?

This is how to add

64
16
+
4
6

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 6, and get 384, then we multiply 16 by 6 and get 96.

64/16 times 6

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 16, and get 64, then multiply 16 by 6 and get 96.

4/6 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

384
96
+
64
96

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

384 + 64 = 448

This yields the answer

448
96

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:

448
96
÷ 2 =
224
48

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

224
48
÷ 2 =
112
24

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

112
24
÷ 2 =
56
12

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

56
12
÷ 2 =
28
6

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

28
6
÷ 2 =
14
3

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...

No good. 5 is larger than 3. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 64/16 + 4/6

64
16
+
4
6
=
14
3
© 2014 Randy Tayler