$\frac{3}{5}+\frac{2}{7}=$
To find the sum of \(\frac{3}{5}\) and \(\frac{2}{7}\), we must add two fractions with different denominators. To perform this addition, we need to express them with a common denominator. The most straightforward common denominator is the least common multiple of the two denominators, 5 and 7. Since 5 and 7 are both prime numbers, their least common multiple is \(5 \times 7 = 35\).
Now, we convert each fraction to have a denominator of 35.
For the first fraction, \(\frac{3}{5}\), we multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 7:
\[\frac{3}{5} = \frac{3 \times 7}{5 \times 7} = \frac{21}{35}\]
For the second fraction, \(\frac{2}{7}\), we multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 5:
\[\frac{2}{7} = \frac{2 \times 5}{7 \times 5} = \frac{10}{35}\]
Now that both fractions share the same denominator of 35, we can easily add them by summing their numerators:
\[\frac{21}{35} + \frac{10}{35} = \frac{21 + 10}{35} = \frac{31}{35}\]
Since 31 and 35 have no common factors other than 1, the fraction \(\frac{31}{35}\) is already in its simplest form.
Imagine you are baking cookies and a recipe calls for \(\frac{3}{5}\) of a cup of sugar for the dough and \(\frac{2}{7}\) of a cup of sugar for the topping. To find the total amount of sugar needed, you perform the addition \(\frac{3}{5} + \frac{2}{7}\). By finding a common denominator, you realize you need \(\frac{31}{35}\) of a cup of sugar in total, helping you measure your ingredients accurately.