math help

What is 78/10 + 2/8?

What is 78/10 + 2/8?

Here's how to add

78
10
+
2
8

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 78 by 8, and get 624, then we multiply 10 by 8 and get 80.

78/10 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 10, and get 20, then multiply 10 by 8 and get 80.

2/8 times 10

The problem now has new fractions to add:

624
80
+
20
80

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

624 + 20 = 644

This yields the answer

644
80

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:

644
80
÷ 2 =
322
40

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

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

322
40
÷ 2 =
161
20

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 3...

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. 23 is larger than 20. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 78/10 + 2/8

78
10
+
2
8
=
161
20
© 2014 Randy Tayler