Question 128911
First we need to figure out the total amount of the pole that is hidden by the ground and water.

The problem says {{{1/2}}} is lodged in the ground and {{{1/3}}} is covered by water.  Lets add these two together to get the total lenght of the pole that is hidden.

{{{1/2+1/3}}}

We need to make these two fractions equivalent (making the denominators equal)

So we need to find the least common denominator.  What is the smallest number that 2 and 3 will divide into is the question that we need to ask.  That number would be 6.

To make {{{1/2}}} equal to something/6  we need to know how many times 2 will divide into 6.  It will divide into 6    3 times.  Now we take 3 and multiply it by the numerator which is 1  so we have {{{3*1=3}}}.  So the fraction that is equal to {{{1/2}}} is {{{3/6}}}.

We do the same steps to find out what fraction with 6 as the denominator is equal to {{{1/3}}}.  we need to know how many times 3 will divide into 6.  It will divide into 6    2 times.  Now we take 2 and multiply it by the numerator which is 1  so we have {{{2*1=2}}}.  So the fraction that is equal to {{{1/3}}} is {{{2/6}}}.

Now that we have two equivalent fractions we can add them together.
{{{3/6+2/6=5/6}}}.  Now we know that {{{5/6}}} of the pole is hidden by the ground and the water.  Because we know that {{{5/6+1/6=6/6}}} or {{{1}}} 11 feet of the pole equals {{{1/6}}} of the lenght.  Because there is {{{5/6}}}ths of the pole hidden, there are 5 more sections of 11 feet that cant be seen.

We take {{{5*11}}} and get {{{55}}}.  If we can see 11 feet and cant see 55 feet, then the total feet of the pole is {{{11+55=66}}} total feet!

Hope this helps you out.

Thanks,
Ms. G