Question

Add and simplify: 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/6 =
1) 11/24
2) 11/12
3) 3/4
4) 5/6

Answer 1

The fractions 1/2, 1/4, and 1/6 share a common denominator of 12. Upon converting and adding their numerators, the simplified sum is found to be 11/12.

Step-by-step explanation:

Adding and Simplifying Fractions

To add fractions such as 1/2, 1/4, and 1/6, we need to find a common denominator. When we look at the denominators 2, 4, and 6, we see that the smallest number all three can divide into evenly is 12, which is their least common multiple. To convert each fraction, we multiply numerator and denominator by the number that turns each denominator into 12:

• 1/2 becomes 6/12 (by multiplying by 6/6)
• 1/4 becomes 3/12 (by multiplying by 3/3)
• 1/6 becomes 2/12 (by multiplying by 2/2)

Then we add the numerators:

6/12 + 3/12 + 2/12 = 11/12

Therefore, the simplified answer to 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/6 is 11/12. The denominator stays the same when we add the numerators, as we don't add denominators when adding fractions.