13/16 - 18/-16

Question

subtract. Simplify if possible 

Answer 1

Hi Latifah, even though you say to subtract, it is really an addition problem.

 

13 / 16 - 18 / -16 is really 13 / 16 - (-1 * (18 / 16))

 

This becomes:

 

13 / 16 + 18 /16, because a minus times a minus is a plus.

 

Since the denominators are the same, we can add the numerators:

 

(13 + 18) / 16

 

31 / 16

 

Questions?