math help

What is 72/63 + 6/9?

What is 72/63 + 6/9?

This is how we add

72
63
+
6
9

Step 1

Now we need to make our denominators match.

Since 9 is evenly divided by 63, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 6 by 7, and get 42, then we multiply 9 by 7 and get 63.

6/9 times 7

The problem now has new fractions to add:

72
63
+
42
63

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

72 + 42 = 114

The sum we get is

114
63

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:

114
63
÷ 3 =
38
21

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...

No good. 23 is larger than 21. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 72/63 + 6/9

72
63
+
6
9
=
38
21
© 2014 Randy Tayler