math help

What is 64/4 + 3/7?

What is 64/4 + 3/7?

Let's add

64
4
+
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 4 by 7 and get 28.

64/4 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 4, and get 12, then multiply 4 by 7 and get 28.

3/7 times 4

The problem now has new fractions to add:

448
28
+
12
28

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

448 + 12 = 460

The sum we get is

460
28

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:

460
28
÷ 2 =
230
14

Let's try dividing by that again...

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

230
14
÷ 2 =
115
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 64/4 + 3/7

64
4
+
3
7
=
115
7
© 2014 Randy Tayler