math help

What is 9/48 + 6/7?

What is 9/48 + 6/7?

Here's how to add

9
48
+
6
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 9 by 7, and get 63, then we multiply 48 by 7 and get 336.

9/48 times 7

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 6 by 48, and get 288, then multiply 48 by 7 and get 336.

6/7 times 48

The problem now has new fractions to add:

63
336
+
288
336

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

63 + 288 = 351

The sum we get is

351
336

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:

351
336
÷ 3 =
117
112

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...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 19...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 23...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 29...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 31...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 37...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 41...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 43...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 47...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 53...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 59...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 61...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 67...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 71...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 73...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 79...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 83...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 89...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 97...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 101...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 103...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 107...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 109...

Nope. Try the next prime number, 113...

No good. 113 is larger than 112. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 9/48 + 6/7

9
48
+
6
7
=
117
112
© 2014 Randy Tayler