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Ch. R - Review of Basic Concepts
Lial - College Algebra 13th Edition
Lial13th EditionCollege AlgebraISBN: 9780136881063Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 1, Problem 55

Add or subtract as indicated. Write answers in lowest terms as needed. 7/12 + 1/12

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1
Identify the denominators of the fractions. Here, both fractions have the denominator 12.
Since the denominators are the same, you can add the numerators directly: \(\frac{7}{12} + \frac{1}{12} = \frac{7 + 1}{12}\).
Add the numerators: \(7 + 1 = 8\), so the fraction becomes \(\frac{8}{12}\).
Simplify the fraction \(\frac{8}{12}\) by finding the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 8 and 12.
Divide both numerator and denominator by the GCD to write the fraction in lowest terms.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Adding Fractions with Like Denominators

When adding fractions that have the same denominator, you simply add the numerators and keep the denominator unchanged. For example, 7/12 + 1/12 equals (7 + 1)/12, which is 8/12.
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Simplifying Fractions to Lowest Terms

After performing addition or subtraction, fractions should be simplified by dividing the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD). For instance, 8/12 can be simplified to 2/3 by dividing both by 4.
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Understanding Numerators and Denominators

A fraction consists of a numerator (top number) representing parts taken and a denominator (bottom number) representing total equal parts. Recognizing their roles helps in correctly performing operations like addition or subtraction.
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