## anonymous 5 years ago Hi my daughter is having trouble with an assignment. She is asked to write in her journal how to find a common denominator? She has to construct cubes and the first problem is 1/3 and 2/12

1. anonymous

ok so to find a common denominator first you need to know what a denominator is. a denominator is the bottom number under a fraction

2. anonymous

so all you have to do is find the first common times that 3 and 12 go into

3. anonymous

3 goes into 12 pretty easy when you times it by 4 so whatever you do to the bottom you do to the top. so it would be 4/12 and 2/12 because we didn't have to times the 12 by anything it stayes the same

4. anonymous

does that help?

5. anonymous

ARE you there?

6. anonymous

understand. But she is not allowed to use LCM on her assignment. The problem I wrote are two different problems. Can you still help us?

7. anonymous

Yes

8. anonymous

LCM? sorry i havn't heard that term or i musv't forgot? sorry

9. anonymous

Least common denominator is the abbreviation.

10. anonymous

oh ok but isn't that what is asked?

11. anonymous

I'm haven't done fractions in so long sorry. She is a fourth grader and I'm a little rusty.

12. anonymous

You need the LCD, not the LCM right?

13. anonymous

Yeah sorry

14. anonymous

And what is the problem again?

15. anonymous

She has to find the common denominator and use blocks to shade in the fraction. 1/3 is the first and 2/12 is second

16. anonymous

common denominator of 1/3 and 2/12?

17. anonymous

The least common denominator of 1/3 and 2/12 is 6.

18. anonymous

i CAN'T DO ANYTHING!!! :'(

19. anonymous

dont listen to arada he is always wrong he knows nothing about math

20. anonymous

$\frac{2}{12} = \frac{2*1}{2*6} = \frac{1}{6}$ $\frac{1}{3} = \frac{2}{2}*\frac{1}{3} = \frac{2}{6}$

21. anonymous

Okay does she shade in the 6 blocks and leave one blank?

22. anonymous

Do you have a digital camera? If so can you take a small picture of the problem and attach it here? I'm not sure what is being asked..

23. anonymous

24. anonymous

fool* fail

25. anonymous

Really it's her homework. She has a journal book and she must explain her answers.

26. anonymous

So I still don't understand the question, what is she asked to do?

27. anonymous

She has to explain by using model blocks or cubes and show her work

28. anonymous

I'm not sure how you'd do that.

29. anonymous

30. anonymous

As I said, can you attach a picture of the problem?

31. anonymous

32. anonymous

How do I attach the problem?

33. anonymous

Once you get a digital copy of it you just click the "attach file" button and navigate to the file, etc.

34. anonymous

I hate to sound dumb but do I scan the paper and attach it the computer?

35. anonymous

Do you have a digital camera?

36. anonymous

yes

37. anonymous

Take a picture and copy the file to your computer, then use the attach button on the website to upload it.

38. anonymous

Well my camera is acting up!!!! I'm so frustrated!!

39. anonymous

40. anonymous

Here is the part 1of the problem. It says: Draw a model that represents each fraction below. The model should look like the connecting cubes you construct. 1/3 and 2/12

41. anonymous

I really appreciate all of your help. I will E-mail her teacher so she can get a better understanding on this assignment. Thank you again.