math help

What is 96/2 + 2/10?

What is 96/2 + 2/10?

Here's how you add

96
2
+
2
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 96 by 5, and get 480, then we multiply 2 by 5 and get 10.

96/2 times 5

The problem now has new fractions to add:

480
10
+
2
10

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

480 + 2 = 482

The sum we get is

482
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:

482
10
÷ 2 =
241
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 96/2 + 2/10

96
2
+
2
10
=
241
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler