Question

6/5 - 7/12 ?

Answer 1

Start by giving them a common denominator.

Answer 2

how?

Answer 3

Look for what it would take to make the two denominators equal each other.

Answer 4

1?

Answer 5

What times 5 AND times 12 will give you one?
You are looking for a number that they are both a multiple of, quite often the easiest way to do this is to multiply the two numbers together.

Answer 6

so 60?

Answer 7

im sorry im just really lost...

Answer 8

Okay, you have \[\frac{6}{5} - \frac{7}{12}\] and you need to find a common denominator, so a number that is the same for each. One of the quickest ways is to just multiply the two numbers together, in this case you get:
5*12 = 60
In order to change the denominator (without changing the number) you need to change the numerator by the same amount. Since:\[12 \times 5 = 60 , \space \frac{12}{12} \times \frac{6}{5} = \frac{72}{60}\] In a similar fashion:\[5 \times 12 = 60, \space \frac{5}{5} \times \frac{7}{12} = \frac{35}{60}\] Notice that if you reduce these "new" fractions that they are the same as the old one so we have not changed the number. Since they have a common denominator you can now subtract them from each other:\[\frac{72}{60} - \frac{35}{60}\]