1.10.2 Working with Fractions

Question 1

Common Denominator

Answer 1

• usually the lowest multiple shared by all the denominators in the fractions of the problem; i.e., all the denominators have exactly the same factors
• to achieve a common denominator, multiply both the numerator and the denominator of each fraction by any factor missing in the denominator so that the denominator has all the factors that the other denominators have

Question 2

Canceling

Answer 2

in a fraction multiplication problem is the process for “reducing” by removing common factors from both the
numerator and denominator. Because these factors multiply, it works to cancel across fractions, not just within one fraction

Question 3

complex fraction

Answer 3

a rational expression composed of fractions in the numerator, denominator or both