math help

What is 80/2 + 7/9?

What is 80/2 + 7/9?

Here's how to add

80
2
+
7
9

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 80 by 9, and get 720, then we multiply 2 by 9 and get 18.

80/2 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 7 by 2, and get 14, then multiply 2 by 9 and get 18.

7/9 times 2

The problem now has new fractions to add:

720
18
+
14
18

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

720 + 14 = 734

This yields the answer

734
18

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:

734
18
÷ 2 =
367
9

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. 11 is larger than 9. So we're done reducing.

And we're done! Here's the final answer to 80/2 + 7/9

80
2
+
7
9
=
367
9
© 2014 Randy Tayler