math help

What is 64/16 + 7/11?

What is 64/16 + 7/11?

Here's how to add

64
16
+
7
11

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 11, and get 704, then we multiply 16 by 11 and get 176.

64/16 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 7 by 16, and get 112, then multiply 16 by 11 and get 176.

7/11 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

704
176
+
112
176

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

704 + 112 = 816

This yields the answer

816
176

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:

816
176
÷ 2 =
408
88

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:

408
88
÷ 2 =
204
44

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:

204
44
÷ 2 =
102
22

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:

102
22
÷ 2 =
51
11

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...

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. 13 is larger than 11. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 64/16 + 7/11

64
16
+
7
11
=
51
11
© 2014 Randy Tayler