Question

Elida is using six different wires for a project, with their diameters given as fractions: 7/16, 1/2, 3/8, 9/32, 5/16, 15/32. What is the least common denominator (LCD) for these fractions?

A. 32
B. 16
C. 64
D. 8

Answer 1

The least common denominator for the fractions provided is 32, as it is the smallest number that is a multiple of all the denominator values given.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking for the least common denominator (LCD) for a set of fractions with different denominators. To find the LCD, we need to consider the denominators of each fraction and determine the smallest number that each denominator can divide into without leaving a remainder.

The denominators given are 16, 2, 8, 32, and 16. Since all these numbers are powers of 2, the LCD must be a power of 2 as well. The highest power of 2 among these denominators is 32 (since 9/32 has the largest denominator). Therefore, the LCD must be at least 32. However, we must check if 32 is a multiple of all the other denominators.

32 is divisible by 16, 8, and 2 as well. Hence, the LCD is 32, which means option A is correct.