document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=70765>Question 70765</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> I can understand how to solve an equation by first multiplying by a common denominator as in this example:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "h/2 + h/3 = 10<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3h/6 + 2h/6 = 10<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5h/6 = 10<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5h = 10 x 6<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h = 60/5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "h = 12\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "however, I'm not sure how to first apply a common denominator in the following equation:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "m/2 - 3 = 4\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Can you help? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #50519 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=50519\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=m%2F2+-+3+=+4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"m%2F2+-+3+=+4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Before considering the fraction you could add 3 to both sides.  This would have the effect<BR>\n" );
document.write( "of removing the -3 from the left side, but it would add 3 to the right side.  The result would<BR>\n" );
document.write( "be:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=m%2F2+=+7 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"m%2F2+=+7\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then just multiply both sides by 2 to end up with <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=m+=+14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"m+=+14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "another way you could look at it is that the three on the left side is really the fraction<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%2F1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%2F1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Because it is a fraction you could multiply it by <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to give it a common denominator<BR>\n" );
document.write( "of 2.  If you do that the equation becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=m%2F2+-6%2F2+=+4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"m%2F2+-6%2F2+=+4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then combine the two left side terms over the common denominator:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28m-6%29%2F2+=+4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28m-6%29%2F2+=+4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Multiplying both sides by 2 to eliminate the denominator results in:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=m-6+=+8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"m-6+=+8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Finally, add 6 to both sides to get <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=m+=+14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"m+=+14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > which is the same answer as before.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this helps expand your understanding.  You already seem to understand the basic idea <BR>\n" );
document.write( "of common denominators and are now just expanding on other details of working these<BR>\n" );
document.write( "problems.  Good for you! </SPAN>\n" );
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