Final answer:
The 'lowest common denominator' is the smallest common multiple of the denominators of two or more fractions, facilitating the addition, subtraction, or comparison of the fractions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'lowest common denominator' refers to the smallest positive integer that is a multiple of the denominators of two or more fractions. Finding the lowest common denominator is an essential step in the process of adding, subtracting, or comparing fractions, as it allows you to express them with a common denominator so that their numerators can be directly compared or combined. For example, if you have the fractions 1/2 and 1/3, the denominators are 2 and 3. The lowest common denominator for these two fractions is 6 because it is the smallest number that both 2 and 3 can divide into without a remainder. When working with fractions, sometimes the denominators are the same and no additional steps are needed. However, when the denominators are different, you can find the lowest common denominator by listing the multiples of the largest denominator and finding the smallest one that the other denominator(s) can divide into evenly. Alternatively, you could also find the least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators, which will give you the lowest common denominator directly.