math help

What is 64/4 + 1/9?

What is 64/4 + 1/9?

Let's add

64
4
+
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 4 by 9 and get 36.

64/4 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 4, and get 4, then multiply 4 by 9 and get 36.

1/9 times 4

The problem now has new fractions to add:

576
36
+
4
36

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

576 + 4 = 580

The sum we get is

580
36

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:

580
36
÷ 2 =
290
18

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

290
18
÷ 2 =
145
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 64/4 + 1/9

64
4
+
1
9
=
145
9
© 2014 Randy Tayler