7aē 2aē bē
- +
12 3b 6aē
The LCD of 12, 3b, and 6aē is 12aēb
Now we ask these questions about the three
denominators:
1. What does denominator 12 need to be multiplied
by to get the LCD of 12aēb?
2. What does denominator 3b need to be multiplied
by to get the LCD of 12aēb?
3. What does denominator 6aē need to be multiplied
by to get the LCD of 12aēb?
Answer to question 1: aēb
Answer to question 2: 4aē
Answer to question 3: 2b
So
1. We multiply the first fraction by the fraction
,
which equals 1.
2. We multiply the second fraction by the fraction
,
which equals 1.
3. We multiply the third fraction by the fraction
,
which equals 1.
7aē aēb 2aē 4aē bē 2b
- +
12 aēb 3b 4aē 6aē 2b
Multiply numerators and denominators of the three
pairs of fractions to multiply:
7a4b 8a4 2bģ
- +
12aēb 12aēb 12aēb
Now that all three fractions have the same
denominator, we can just combine the
numerators over the common denominator:
7a4b - 8a4 + 2bģ
12aēb
Edwin