math help

What is 9/48 + 5/8?

What is 9/48 + 5/8?

Here's how to add

9
48
+
5
8

Step 1

Our denominators (bottom numbers) don't match, so we can't add yet.

Since 8 is evenly divided by 48, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 5 by 6, and get 30, then we multiply 8 by 6 and get 48.

5/8 times 6

The problem now has new fractions to add:

9
48
+
30
48

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

9 + 30 = 39

The sum we get is

39
48

Step 3

The last step is to reduce the fraction if we can.

To find out, we try dividing it by 2...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 3...

Are both the numerator and the denominator evenly divisible by 3? Yes! So we reduce it:

39
48
÷ 3 =
13
16

Now, try the same number again.

Nope. Try the next prime number, 5...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 7...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 11...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 13...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 17...

No good. 17 is larger than 13. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 9/48 + 5/8

9
48
+
5
8
=
13
16
© 2014 Randy Tayler