Question 266885: 5 1/2 - 2 7/10
How do i get an answer please step by step explain. Found 2 solutions by stanbon, dabanfield:Answer by stanbon(75887) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! 5 1/2 - 2 7/10
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Convert to improper fractions:
(2*5+1)/2 - (10*2+7)/10
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11/2 - 27/10
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Convert to a common denominator:
55/10 - 27/10
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Combine the "like" terms:
28/10
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Reduce the fraction:
= 14/5
Convert to a mixed number.
= 2 4/5
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Cheers,
Stan H.
You can put this solution on YOUR website! 5 1/2 - 2 7/10
First convert each mixed fraction to an improper fraction:
1.) 5 1/2 = 10/2 + 1/2 = 11/2
2.) 2 7/10 = 20/10 + 7/10 = 27/10
In order to add 11/2 and 27/10 together we need for each to be expressed with the same denominator. To find the lowest common denominator find the factors of each: 2 = 1*2 and 10 = 1*2*5. To get our LCD choose all the unigue factors appearing in either number and then multiply these together. In this case the factors are 1,2 and 5 (if one of the numbers has the same factor more than once use the highest number of times the factor appears). In this case then the LCD = 1*2*5 = 10.
Now we need to alter each number to make 10 the denominator. There is nothing to do in the second case (i.e. 27/10). For the first number 11/2 we can multiply both numerator and denominator by 5. Then we will have;
11/2 = (5*11)/(5*2) = 55/10
Now we can add 55/10 and 27/10 giving 82/10 (remember (a/b + c/b = (a+b)/b).
82/10 = 8 2/10 = 8 1/5