document.write( "Question 635429: simplify 3/8 - 1/2 + 5/6 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #400327 by ptaylor(2198)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
3/8-1/2+5/6
\n" ); document.write( "First, we need to find the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of the three denominators (8, 2, 6). The LCM is the smallest number that is a multiple of each denominator. There are several ways to find the LCM. I will just list some of the multiples of each denominator and see what we have:
\n" ); document.write( "8=8, 16, 24, 32, 40----
\n" ); document.write( "2=2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 , 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24-----
\n" ); document.write( "6=6, 12, 18, 24,----
\n" ); document.write( "Sooo, by inspection, we see that 24 is the LCM
\n" ); document.write( "3/8=9/24
\n" ); document.write( "1/2=12/24
\n" ); document.write( "5/6=20/24
\n" ); document.write( "Now we have
\n" ); document.write( "9/24-12/24+20/24 Now we can add these fractions and find out how many 24th's the we have:
\n" ); document.write( "29/24-12/24=17/24-----------------answer\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps---ptaylor
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