If $a+\frac {a} {3}=\frac {8} {3}$, what is the value of $a$?
I want to solve for $a$, so I need to get rid of the fraction $\frac {a} {3}$ on the left side of the equation. I can do this by multiplying both sides of the equation by $3$, which will clear the denominator. This gives me $3a+a=8$, or $4a=8$. To isolate $a$, I can divide both sides by $4$. This gives me $a=2$. 