math help

What is 70/51 + 1/12?

What is 70/51 + 1/12?

Let's add

70
51
+
1
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 70 by 12, and get 840, then we multiply 51 by 12 and get 612.

70/51 times 12

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 51, and get 51, then multiply 51 by 12 and get 612.

1/12 times 51

The problem now has new fractions to add:

840
612
+
51
612

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

840 + 51 = 891

The sum we get is

891
612

Step 3

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

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

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 3...

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

891
612
÷ 3 =
297
204

So far so good... let's try to divide by that number again.

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

297
204
÷ 3 =
99
68

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 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. So next you try the next prime number, which is 17...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 19...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 23...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 29...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 31...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 37...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 41...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 43...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 47...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 53...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 59...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 61...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 67...

No good. So next you try the next prime number, which is 71...

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

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 70/51 + 1/12

70
51
+
1
12
=
99
68
© 2014 Randy Tayler