math help

What is 9/60 + 2/11?

What is 9/60 + 2/11?

Here's how you add

9
60
+
2
11

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 11, and get 99, then we multiply 60 by 11 and get 660.

9/60 times 11

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 2 by 60, and get 120, then multiply 60 by 11 and get 660.

2/11 times 60

The problem now has new fractions to add:

99
660
+
120
660

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

99 + 120 = 219

This yields the answer

219
660

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:

219
660
÷ 3 =
73
220

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...

No good. 79 is larger than 73. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 9/60 + 2/11

9
60
+
2
11
=
73
220
© 2014 Randy Tayler