1/3 - 1/12 Simplified
To simplify the expression 1/3 - 1/12, we need to follow the rules of subtraction of fractions.
Step 1: Find the Least Common Multiple (LCM)
The denominators of the two fractions are 3 and 12. To find the least common multiple (LCM), we need to list the multiples of each denominator:
Multiples of 3: 3, 6, 9, 12, ... Multiples of 12: 12, 24, 36, ...
The first number that appears in both lists is 12, so the LCM is 12.
Step 2: Convert Both Fractions to Have the LCM as the Denominator
To convert 1/3 to have a denominator of 12, we can multiply both the numerator and denominator by 4:
1/3 = (1 × 4)/(3 × 4) = 4/12
To convert 1/12 to have a denominator of 12, we don't need to do anything since it already has a denominator of 12:
1/12 = 1/12
Step 3: Subtract the Fractions
Now that both fractions have the same denominator, we can subtract them:
4/12 - 1/12 = (4 - 1)/12 = 3/12
Step 4: Simplify the Result
To simplify the result, we can divide both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor (GCD). The GCD of 3 and 12 is 3, so:
3/12 = (3 ÷ 3)/(12 ÷ 3) = 1/4
Therefore, the simplified result of 1/3 - 1/12 is 1/4.
