math help

What is 80/2 + 6/10?

What is 80/2 + 6/10?

Here's how to add

80
2
+
6
10

Step 1

We have to make sure the denominators are equal.

Since 2 is evenly divided by 10, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 80 by 5, and get 400, then we multiply 2 by 5 and get 10.

80/2 times 5

The problem now has new fractions to add:

400
10
+
6
10

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

400 + 6 = 406

This yields the answer

406
10

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:

406
10
÷ 2 =
203
5

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. 7 is larger than 5. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 80/2 + 6/10

80
2
+
6
10
=
203
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler