Final answer:
To solve 13 1/4 - 7 2/3, convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions, find the lowest common denominator, subtract the fractions, and simplify. The correct answer is D. 5 7/12.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the lowest common denominator (LCD) and solve 13 1/4 - 7 2/3, we first need to convert the mixed numbers into improper fractions.
For 13 1/4, the improper fraction is 53/4, because 13 times 4 equals 52, plus 1 equals 53. For 7 2/3, the improper fraction is 23/3, because 7 times 3 equals 21, plus 2 equals 23.
Next, we find the LCD of 4 and 3, which is 12. To convert 53/4 to a fraction with a denominator of 12, multiply both the numerator and denominator by 3, giving us 159/12.
To convert 23/3 to a fraction with a denominator of 12, multiply both the numerator and denominator by 4, giving us 92/12.
Now we can subtract the two fractions: 159/12 - 92/12 = (159 - 92)/12 = 67/12. This can be simplified to 5 7/12, because 67 divided by 12 is 5 with a remainder of 7.
The correct answer is D. 5 7/12.