math help

What is 88/15 + 2/9?

What is 88/15 + 2/9?

This is how you add

88
15
+
2
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 88 by 9, and get 792, then we multiply 15 by 9 and get 135.

88/15 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 15, and get 30, then multiply 15 by 9 and get 135.

2/9 times 15

The problem now has new fractions to add:

792
135
+
30
135

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

792 + 30 = 822

This yields the answer

822
135

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:

822
135
÷ 3 =
274
45

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...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 29...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 31...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 37...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 41...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 43...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 47...

No good. 47 is larger than 45. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 88/15 + 2/9

88
15
+
2
9
=
274
45
© 2014 Randy Tayler