math help

What is 9/60 + 1/12?

What is 9/60 + 1/12?

Here's how you add

9
60
+
1
12

Step 1

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

Since 12 is evenly divided by 60, we can multiply just one term to get a common denominator.

Multiply 1 by 5, and get 5, then we multiply 12 by 5 and get 60.

1/12 times 5

The problem now has new fractions to add:

9
60
+
5
60

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

9 + 5 = 14

This yields the answer

14
60

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:

14
60
÷ 2 =
7
30

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 9/60 + 1/12

9
60
+
1
12
=
7
30
© 2014 Randy Tayler