I am trying to decide between 2 answers on a vocabulray question. The question is: The ________________ of two or more denominators is the least common denominator. The choices are either simplest form or least common multiple. Would the correct answer be least common multiple?
Right.
Yes, the correct answer would be "least common multiple." To understand why, let's break down the question and the choices.
The question is asking about the term that describes the least common denominator when combining two or more denominators. In other words, it is asking for the mathematical concept that represents the smallest common multiple of the denominators.
Let's look at the choices:
1. Simplest form: This term refers to expressing a fraction with the fewest possible terms. It does not directly relate to finding the least common denominator.
2. Least common multiple: This term represents the smallest multiple that is evenly divisible by two or more numbers. When adding or subtracting fractions with different denominators, you need to find a common denominator. The least common multiple provides the smallest number that can be used as a common denominator.
Therefore, the correct answer is "least common multiple" as it describes the concept of finding the smallest common multiple or denominator when combining two or more denominators.