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To solve the problem of adding the mixed numbers and , follow these steps:
Step 1: Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions.
For :
Multiply the whole number by the denominator, then add the numerator:
.
Thus, becomes .
For :
Multiply the whole number by the denominator, then add the numerator:
.
Thus, becomes .
Step 2: Find a common denominator.
The denominators are 3 and 5. The least common multiple of 3 and 5 is 15. Therefore, we'll convert each fraction to have a denominator of 15:
For , multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 5:
.
For , multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 3:
.
Step 3: Add the fractions.
Add the numerators while keeping the common denominator:
.
Step 4: Convert the improper fraction back to a mixed number.
Divide the numerator by the denominator:
with a remainder of 1.
Hence, is equivalent to .
Therefore, the solution to the problem is .
\( 1:\frac{3}{4}= \)
Only if the fractions have the same denominator! Since and have different denominators, you need a common denominator first. It's safer to convert everything to improper fractions.
You need the least common multiple of 3 and 5. Since 3 and 5 share no common factors, their LCM is 3 × 5 = 15. Using 8 won't work because neither 3 nor 5 divides evenly into 8.
When your final answer is an improper fraction (numerator larger than denominator), convert it back! Divide the numerator by denominator: because 106 ÷ 15 = 7 remainder 1.
Take it one step at a time! Write down each conversion clearly: , then . Double-check each step before moving on.
With practice, you can work directly with mixed numbers by finding a common denominator for the fractional parts. But the improper fraction method is more reliable and less error-prone, especially when starting out!
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