Okay. I tried to do this but it is too hard for me. Like, here is an example. Which expression is equivalent to 3 7/8 - 6 1/4? HOW DOES THAT WORK???? I mean I actually almost CRIED because I was so stressed out. I would also like to know if you add a normal number to a negative number if the number goes up in negative or up in positive.
If you are trying to subtract the fractions, first you have to have the same denominator (the number that goes on the bottom of the fraction). You can do this by multiplying one of the fractions by 1, in the form of 1/1, 2/2, 3/3, whatever makes the denominator the same.
In the case of the problem you are saying, then you have to multiply the 1/4 in the 6 1/4 by 2/2, which is the same as one, and you get 2/8, which is still the same as 1/4. Now you can subtract.
First, you need to convert the mixed numbers into improper fractions. 3 7/8 is the same as 24/8 (the 3) plus 7/8, which adds up to 28/8. 6 2/8 is the same as 48/8 (the 6) and 2/8, which adds up to 50/8. Then you subtract 31/8 - 50/8, and you get -19/8. You can then simplify that into -2 3/8, and you get your answer.
The principle behind this is that if you subtract a bigger fraction from a smaller fraction, you get a negative fraction, which is the same as when you subtract a bigger number from a smaller number.
For the second part, if you add a normal number to a negative number (such as adding 14 to -17), then the number goes up in positive. The answer to 14 + -17 is -3. It would be the same thing as if you subtracted 17 from 14.
Hope this helps!
#YouKhanLearnAnything
Please sign in to leave a comment.