Answer:
17 5/12 lb total
Explanation:
Find the total weight of the materials recycled:
7 2/3 lb + 9 3/4 lb
Here the LCD is 12. (Both 3 and 4 divide evenly into 12.)
Rewriting 7 2/3 lb + 9 3/4 lb with the LCD 12, we get:
7 8/12 lb + 9 9/12 lb, or 16 17/12 lb.
The fraction here must be reduced. We get
17 5/12 lb total (Recognize that 17/12 = 1 5/12.)