Question

David baked two kinds of pasta in pans. Each pan was the same size. One pan was sliced into 8 equal pieces and the other was sliced into 6 equal pieces. If he wanted to have the same number of pieces in each pan, how many pieces would there be in each pan?

Answer 1

There would be six pieces in each pan.

Explanation:

1. To make the number of pieces in each pan equal, the total number must be the same.

2. 8 pieces from the first pan + 6 pieces from the second pan = 14 pieces.

3. Divide 14 by 2 to get the same number of pieces in each pan:

14/2 = 7

4. Round down 7 to get six pieces in each pan.

Answer 2

Answer: LCM(6,8)

Step-by-step explanation: Each of six slices of the first pasta has the area 1%2F6 of the entire pan.

Each of eight slices of the second pasta has the area 1%2F8 of the original pan.

David will cut each 1%2F6 in 4 equal pieces to get 1%2F24.

he also will cut each 1%2F8 in 3 equal pieces to get 1%2F24.

Then he will meet his goal.

Notice that the number 24 is the Less Common Multiple of the numbers 6 and 8: 24 = LCM(6,8).