Question

3. The Asiedu's family house occupies 7/20 of the area their plot. The garage occupies 1/15 of the area. What is the fraction of the total area occupied by the two structures?

Answer 1

`(5)/(12)` of the area

Explanation:

To find the answer, all you need to do is add the two fractions:
`(7)/(20)\\` and
`(1)/(15)`.

In order to add two fractions, you have to make the fractions have the same denominator by finding the LCD (Least Common Denominator) for the current denomiators, 20 and 15.

The GCF (Greatest Common Factor) of the two numbers is 5.

20 ÷ 5 = 4, 15 ÷ 5 =3

Therefore the LCD of 20 and 15 is 5 x 4 x 3 = 60

60 ÷ 20 = 3, 60 ÷ 15 = 4

Then you would multiply the numerator and denominator of
`(7)/(20)\\` and
`(1)/(15)` by 3 and 4 respectively because the denominators multiplied by those numbers equals the LCD, 60.

`(7)/(20)` ×
`(3)/(3)` =
`(21)/(60)`

`(1)/(15)` ×
`(4)/(4)` =
`(4)/(60)`

Now, since the two fractions have the same denominators, you can add them to get
`(21)/(60) + (4)/(60) = (25)/(60)` ÷
`(5)/(5) = (5)/(12)` of the area.

Therefore, the answer is
`(5)/(12)` of the area.