What is the process for finding common denominators

Question

3/12 + 7/8 =

Answer 1

Linda,

 

When you need to find a common denominator for two or more fractions, the first thing you need to do is find the least common multiple of all the denominators which is called the LCM.  The LCM will be your smallest common denominator.

 

You have to add the fractions 3/12 and 7/8 in this problem.   So first find the LCM of 12 and 8. There are a several ways to do this.  If you know how to split the numbers 8 and 12 into prime factors there is an easy way to find it, or alternatively you can just look at the multiples of 8 and 12

 

multiples of 8 are 8, 16, 24, 32..    

multiples of 12 are 12, 24, 36,..  

 

We see that 24 is the lowest number that is a multiple of both 12 and 8 (it's called the LCM of 12 and 8) so we can use 24 as a common denominator for the two fractions.  This method works with adding 3 or 4 fractions also.

 

So 3/12  = 6/24 by multiplying the numerator and denominator by 2.

And 7/8 = 21/24 by multiplying the numerator and denominator by 3.

 

3/12 + 7/8 = 6/24 + 21/24 = 27/24

 

 

Answer 2

Least common denominator, or least common multiple, is what you must find first. Multiples of 12 are 12,24,36,48,60,72...  Multiples of 8 are 8, 16,24,32,40,48... When you list the multiples of each, you can see that the LCM is 24.

 

Change both of the fractions to where the denominator is 24 to both and change the numerators accordingly. Now you have 6/24 + 21/24. Leave the denominator as is and add the numerators and you get an answer of 27/24. However, when your answer is a fraction, you must put it in simplest form. You can reduce the fraction by dividing each number by 3, so your answer ends up being ....?

Answer 3

To find the LCM of 2 numbers , write down 2 numbers as product of its prime factors.

 

and Multiply the GCF only once to find the lowest common multiple.

 

 or  LCM ( A, B) = ( A. B) / GCF    (1)

 

 

   Example   8 = 2^3

                  12 = 2^2 . 3

                  

                 LCM = 2^3 . 3 = 24

                 CGF = 2^ 2 = 4

    

                 LCM = 12 . 8 / 4 = 96/ 4 = 24

 

        Equation ( 1) becomes very useful in Theory of Numbers, and advanced Mathematics.

Answer 4

I like to do it in-place so I keep all the work together (then if I'm looking for a mistake later I don't have to hunt for the work). Also, I just think about prime factors and how many of each I have in each denominator; then adjust to get the same set in all denominators. That's the concept and I think it gets lost among all the words defined to describe it.

 

3/12 + 7/8 =

 

3/(2*2*3) + 7/(2*2*2) =

 

3*2/(2*2*2*3) + 7*3/(2*2*2*3) =

 

(3*2 + 7*3)/(2*2*2*3) =

 

(6 + 21)/(8*3) =

 

27/24

Answer 5

Hi Linda;

The quickest technique is to multiply the denominators together...

(8)(12)=96

 

(3/12) + (7/8) =

[(3/12)(8/8)]+[(7/8)(12/12)]=

(24/96)+(84/96)=

108/96

54/48

27/24

 

However, what you may also notice about the denominators is...

(8)(3)=24 and

(12)(2)=24

Therefore, 24 is the lowest common denominator...

[(3/12)(2/2)]+[(7/8)(3/3)]

(6/24)+(21/24)

27/24