8. Sam and Lou need a total of 1 foot of wire for a science project. Sam's wire measured \( \frac{8}{12} \)-foot long. Lou's wire measured \( \frac{7}{8} \)-foot long. Do they have enough wire for the science project? Explain your reasoning.

1. **Sam's Wire Length** Sam's wire is given as \( \frac{8}{12} \) foot. This fraction simplifies by dividing the numerator and denominator by 4: \[ \frac{8}{12} = \frac{2}{3}. \] 2. **Lou's Wire Length** Lou's wire is given as \( \frac{7}{8} \) foot. 3. **Total Wire Length** To determine if they have enough wire, we need to find the sum of their wires: \[ \frac{2}{3} + \frac{7}{8}. \] To add these fractions, find a common denominator. The least common multiple of 3 and 8 is 24. 4. **Convert Each Fraction** Convert \( \frac{2}{3} \) to a fraction with denominator 24: \[ \frac{2}{3} = \frac{2 \times 8}{3 \times 8} = \frac{16}{24}. \] Convert \( \frac{7}{8} \) to a fraction with denominator 24: \[ \frac{7}{8} = \frac{7 \times 3}{8 \times 3} = \frac{21}{24}. \] 5. **Add the Fractions** Now add the fractions: \[ \frac{16}{24} + \frac{21}{24} = \frac{37}{24}. \] The fraction \( \frac{37}{24} \) can be written as a mixed number: \[ \frac{37}{24} = 1\frac{13}{24}. \] 6. **Conclusion** Since \( 1\frac{13}{24} \) foot is more than 1 foot, Sam and Lou have enough wire for the science project.