math help

What is 7/16 + 4/7?

What is 7/16 + 4/7?

This is how to add

7
16
+
4
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 7 by 7, and get 49, then we multiply 16 by 7 and get 112.

7/16 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 16, and get 64, then multiply 16 by 7 and get 112.

4/7 times 16

The problem now has new fractions to add:

49
112
+
64
112

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

49 + 64 = 113

This yields the answer

113
112

Step 3

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

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

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 5...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 7...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 11...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 13...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 17...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 19...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 23...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 29...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 31...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 37...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 41...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 43...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 47...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 53...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 59...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 61...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 67...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 71...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 73...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 79...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 83...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 89...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 97...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 101...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 103...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 107...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 109...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 113...

No good. 113 is larger than 112. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 7/16 + 4/7

7
16
+
4
7
=
113
112
© 2014 Randy Tayler