math help

What is 64/17 + 9/12?

What is 64/17 + 9/12?

Here's how we add

64
17
+
9
12

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 12, and get 768, then we multiply 17 by 12 and get 204.

64/17 times 12

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 9 by 17, and get 153, then multiply 17 by 12 and get 204.

9/12 times 17

The problem now has new fractions to add:

768
204
+
153
204

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

768 + 153 = 921

The sum we get is

921
204

Step 3

The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can.

To find out, we try dividing it by 2...

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

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

921
204
÷ 3 =
307
68

Let's try dividing by that again...

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...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 13...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 17...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 19...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 23...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 29...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 31...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 37...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 41...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 43...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 47...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 53...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 59...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 61...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 67...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 71...

No good. 71 is larger than 68. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 64/17 + 9/12

64
17
+
9
12
=
307
68
© 2014 Randy Tayler