Questions: Find the least common denominator of 4x/(5x-15) and 7x/(3x-9)

Find the least common denominator of 4x/(5x-15) and 7x/(3x-9)
Transcript text: Find the least common denominator of $\frac{4 x}{5 x-15}$ and $\frac{7 x}{3 x-9}$
failed

Solution

failed
failed

Solution Steps

Step 1: Identify the Denominators

The given fractions are:

\[ \frac{4x}{5x - 15} \quad \text{and} \quad \frac{7x}{3x - 9} \]

The denominators are \(5x - 15\) and \(3x - 9\).

Step 2: Factor the Denominators

Factor each denominator:

  • For \(5x - 15\), factor out the greatest common factor (GCF), which is 5:

    \[ 5x - 15 = 5(x - 3) \]

  • For \(3x - 9\), factor out the GCF, which is 3:

    \[ 3x - 9 = 3(x - 3) \]

Step 3: Determine the Least Common Denominator (LCD)

The least common denominator is the least common multiple (LCM) of the factored denominators. The factored forms are:

  • \(5(x - 3)\)
  • \(3(x - 3)\)

The LCM must include each factor the greatest number of times it appears in any of the factorizations:

  • The factor \(x - 3\) appears once in each denominator.
  • The factor 5 appears in the first denominator.
  • The factor 3 appears in the second denominator.

Thus, the LCM is:

\[ \text{LCM} = 5 \cdot 3 \cdot (x - 3) = 15(x - 3) \]

Final Answer

The least common denominator of \(\frac{4x}{5x - 15}\) and \(\frac{7x}{3x - 9}\) is \(\boxed{15(x - 3)}\).

Was this solution helpful?
failed
Unhelpful
failed
Helpful