Add together the whole numbers: 2+4=6. To add the fractions find the lowest number that 8, 3 and 12 divide into exactly: 24. 8 goes into 24 3 times, 3 8 times and 12 twice. Rewrite the fractions: 3/24, 2*8/24 and 2/24. Now we have three similar items added together: 3 twenty-fourths, 16 twenty-fourths and two twenty-fourths, making 21 twenty-fourths=21/24. This is like adding apples together: 3+16+2 apples make 21 apples. 21/24 can be cancelled down by dividing top and bottom by 3: 7/8 added to the whole numbers added together = 6 and 7/8.