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Identifying Missing Prime Factors for Equivalent Fractions
When the LCD of two fractions has been determined through prime factorization, a shortcut called the missing factors method reveals the exact multiplier needed for each fraction. Compare each denominator's prime factorization column-by-column against the LCD's factorization; any prime present in the LCD but absent from a particular denominator is a "missing factor" for that denominator. The product of all missing factors is the number by which both the numerator and denominator of that fraction must be multiplied.
For example, if the LCD is :
- The denominator is missing one factor of , so multiply by .
- The denominator is missing one factor of , so multiply by .
This technique eliminates guesswork when building equivalent fractions with the LCD and works whenever the LCD was found using the prime factors method.
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