math help

What is 88/15 + 3/8?

What is 88/15 + 3/8?

This is how you add

88
15
+
3
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 88 by 8, and get 704, then we multiply 15 by 8 and get 120.

88/15 times 8

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 15, and get 45, then multiply 15 by 8 and get 120.

3/8 times 15

The problem now has new fractions to add:

704
120
+
45
120

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

704 + 45 = 749

This yields the answer

749
120

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...

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...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 53...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 59...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 61...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 67...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 71...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 73...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 79...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 83...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 89...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 97...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 101...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 103...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 107...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 109...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 113...

Nope! So now we try the next greatest prime number, 127...

No good. 127 is larger than 120. So we're done reducing.

There you have it! Here's the final answer to 88/15 + 3/8

88
15
+
3
8
=
749
120
© 2014 Randy Tayler