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Exercises Numbers, fractions and percents

Example 4.82 from Prealgebra, 4.6 Add and Subtract Mixed Numbers

Add and Subtract Mixed Numbers: example 4.82

Model $1 \frac{3}{5} + 2 \frac{3}{5}$ and give the sum as a mixed number.

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Solution
We will use fraction circles, whole circles for the whole numbers and $\frac{1}{5}$ pieces for the fractions.

one whole and three $\frac{1}{5} s$

plus two wholes and three $\frac{1}{5} s$ .

sum is three wholes and six $\frac{1}{5} s$

Adding the whole circles and fifth pieces, we got a sum of $3 \frac{6}{5} .$ We can see that $\frac{6}{5}$ is equivalent to $1 \frac{1}{5},$ so we add that to the $3$ to get $4 \frac{1}{5} .$

Your turn

The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.

Model, and give the sum as a mixed number. Draw a picture to illustrate your model.

$2 \frac{5}{6} + 1 \frac{5}{6}$

How did it go?

PreviousAdd and Subtract Mixed Numbers: example 4.81 Next Add and Subtract Mixed Numbers: example 4.83

From Prealgebra (1st edition) by OpenStax (Rice University), section 4.6, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Original at openstax.org. We split the solution into steps; the words, numbers and figures are the book's. OpenStax doesn't endorse this site.