How do you simplify #\frac { 5} { 11} + \frac { 3} { 7} #?

1 Answer
May 16, 2018

#5/11+3/7=color(blue)(68/77#

Explanation:

Simplify:

#5/11+3/7#

In order to add or subtract fractions, they must have a common denominator, the least common denominator (LCD).

Since #11# and #7# are prime numbers, we get the LCD by multiplying them.

#"LCD"(11,7)=11xx7=77#

Now we need to multiply each fraction by a fractional form of #1# to get equivalent fractions with #77# as the denominator. An example of a fractional form of #1# is #3/3=1#. This will change the numbers, but not the value of each fraction.

#5/11xx7/7+3/7xx11/11="#

#35/77+33/77#

Now we can add the numerators.

#(35+33)/77=68/77#