Simplify
1/3a - 1/5a
Answers
Answer:
2/15a
Step-by-step explanation:
Because you are subtracting fractions, you need to get a common denominator. Unfortunately, 3 cannot go into 5, so you have to find the least common multiple of both numbers which would be 15. To find the least common multiple, make a chart of all possible solutions for both 3 and 5 (ex. 3x1=3, 3x2=6, 3x3=9, and so on and so forth). The first answer that is the same, is your least common multiple, which would be 15.
After finding your least common multiple for your new denominator, you will have to multiply each numerator by the corresponding number that got you to your common denominator. 1/3a then becomes 5/15a and 1/5 becomes 3/15a because you multiply the 3 by 5 to get 15 and the 5 by 3 to get 15.
Now that your fractions are ready, you can now do your subtraction. You will only be subtracting your new numerators.
5/15a-3/15a=2/15a