This song is available on New Horizons: Fractions, Decimals, Percents & Equations.
When we’re adding up fractions
Bottom numbers should be the same
Also true for subtraction
Otherwise they should change
We can do it much better
By raising fractions to higher terms
I’ll introduce a new method
And this is how your should learn
Least Common Denominators
Can be found at any time
Just factor the bottom number
And list the factors that are prime
By grouping out common factors
Find the most times they are used
Then multiply by each other
And the bottom number’s new
For example let’s tackle
Simple numbers like 6 and 9
Two and three are the factors
But three is used two times
Eighteen is the new number
Raise the fractions to higher terms
Add the fractions remaining
And that’s the lesson we learned
Least Common Denominators
Can be found at any time
Just factor the bottom number
And list the factors that are prime
By grouping out common factors
Find the most times they are used
Then multiply by each other
And the bottom number’s new
See more of our Songs that Teach about Fractions
Many thanks to Bryan Johnson for permission to display these lyric excerpts.
© Bryan Johnson. All rights reserved. Used with permission. |
