How do you evaluate #6\frac { 3} { 5} - 4\frac { 1} { 2}#?

2 Answers
Apr 13, 2017

You can do this by separating the 'wholes' and the 'fractions'

Explanation:

#=6+3/5-4+1/2=(6-4)+(3/5-1/2)#

The first part is simple #6-4=2#. We'll shelve that for now.

The second part needs a common denominator:

#(3/5xx2/2)-(1/2xx5/5)=6/10-5/10=1/10#

Now add the first part:

#=2+1/10=2 1/10#

Apr 13, 2017

#21/10# or #2# #1/10#

Explanation:

First change the mixed fraction into an improper fraction by multiplying the whole interger number by the denominator and then adding the numerator,

#6# #3/5##=33/5#

#4# #1/2##=9/2#

So written in inproper fractions, our problem is,

#33/5-9/2#

Now find a common denominator (#10#) for both fractions, and evaluate

#66/10-45/10=21/10# or #2# #1/10#