math help

What is 9/60 + 4/9?

What is 9/60 + 4/9?

Here's how you add

9
60
+
4
9

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 9, and get 81, then we multiply 60 by 9 and get 540.

9/60 times 9

Do the same for the second term. We multiply 4 by 60, and get 240, then multiply 60 by 9 and get 540.

4/9 times 60

The problem now has new fractions to add:

81
540
+
240
540

Step 2

Since our denominators match, we can add the numerators.

81 + 240 = 321

This yields the answer

321
540

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:

321
540
÷ 3 =
107
180

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...

No good. 109 is larger than 107. So we're done reducing.

Congratulations! Here's your final answer to 9/60 + 4/9

9
60
+
4
9
=
107
180
© 2014 Randy Tayler