How do you evaluate #-5\frac { 4} { 5} + ( - 6\frac { 2} { 5} )#?

2 Answers
Barney V.
Nov 19, 2017

#-12 1/5#

Explanation:

#-5 4/5+(-6 2/5)#

#:.=-29/5-32/5#

#:.=-61/5#

#:.=-12 1/5#

Ms. Worth
Nov 19, 2017

#-12 1/5#

Explanation:

One method is just to combine these fractions like any other signed number problem.

You can convert the fractions to improper fractions, but the numbers will be large.
When the numbers get big, it's worth it to see if you can just do the problem with mixed numbers and avoid all those big numbers.

In this case, using mixed numbers lets you solve the problem without doing any math at all -- just a couple of obvious additions such as - 6 - 5 = - 11 and 4 + 2 = 6

. #-5 4/5#
. #-6 2/5#
.....................
#-11 6/5#

#-11 6/5#
is the same as
#-12 1/5# ← answer

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