math help

What is 96/2 + 3/5?

What is 96/2 + 3/5?

Let's add

96
2
+
3
5

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

96/2 times 5

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 3 by 2, and get 6, then multiply 2 by 5 and get 10.

3/5 times 2

The problem now has new fractions to add:

480
10
+
6
10

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

480 + 6 = 486

This yields the answer

486
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:

486
10
÷ 2 =
243
5

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...

No good. 7 is larger than 5. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 96/2 + 3/5

96
2
+
3
5
=
243
5
© 2014 Randy Tayler