document.write( "Question 659403: What is the answer to 20 and 5/9 minus 12 and 4/5? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #410807 by colliefan(242) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Find a common denominator.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "20 5/9-12 4/5
\n" ); document.write( "20 25/45 - 12 36/45\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "You can now either 1) make these into fractions and subtract or 2) subtract the whole numbers and the fractions separately. Either method should give the same result.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1)
\n" ); document.write( "20 25/45 - 12 36/45
\n" ); document.write( "20 = 900/45 and 12 = 540/45 so:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28900%2B25%29%2F45-%28540%2B36%29%2F45\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"925%2F45-576%2F45\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28925-576%29%2F45\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"349%2F45\"$
\n" ); document.write( "7 34/45\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2)
\n" ); document.write( "I want to subtract the 12 from the 20 and the two fractions separately. I can't subtract 36 from 25 without basically \"borrowing\" from the whole number like you would when doing long division.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "20 25/45 - 12 36/45
\n" ); document.write( "19 45+25/45 - 12 36/45
\n" ); document.write( "19 70/45 - 12 36/45
\n" ); document.write( "19+70/45-12-36/45
\n" ); document.write( "19-12+70/45-36/45
\n" ); document.write( "7 34/45\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

\n" );