Question

How do you combine `7/(4xy^2) + 5/(8x^2y)`?

Answer 1

See the entire solution process below:

Explanation:

To add the two fractions we must put both fractions over a common denominator. In this problem as common denominator is: `8x^2y^2`. The first step then is to multiple each fraction by the appropriate form of `1` to obtain this common denominator.

`7/(4xy^2) + 5/(8x^2y) = ((2x)/(2x) * 7/(4xy^2)) + (y/y * 5/(8x^2y)) =`

`(14x)/(8x^2y^2) + (5y)/(8x^2y^2)`

we can now add the numerators over the common denominator:

`(14x)/(8x^2y^2) + (5y)/(8x^2y^2) = (14x + y)/(8x^2y^2)`