math help

What is 96/2 + 1/7?

What is 96/2 + 1/7?

Let's add

96
2
+
1
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 96 by 7, and get 672, then we multiply 2 by 7 and get 14.

96/2 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 1 by 2, and get 2, then multiply 2 by 7 and get 14.

1/7 times 2

The problem now has new fractions to add:

672
14
+
2
14

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

672 + 2 = 674

This yields the answer

674
14

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:

674
14
÷ 2 =
337
7

Now, try the same number again.

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...

No good. 11 is larger than 7. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 96/2 + 1/7

96
2
+
1
7
=
337
7
© 2014 Randy Tayler