find a common denominator: 4/7 and 5/8

1 answer

To find a common denominator for 4/7 and 5/8, we need to find the least common multiple (LCM) of the denominators 7 and 8.

The prime factorization of 7 is 7, and the prime factorization of 8 is 2 x 2 x 2.

To find the LCM, we include the highest power of each prime factor:

7 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 56

Therefore, the common denominator for 4/7 and 5/8 is 56.