bill cuts 1/3 of a log off. bob then cuts 1/4 of the remaining log off. how much of the original log is left?

Question

i simply dont know what the problem is asking for and im so very confused. Can you help im so confused and have to get this done by tonight. so if u could help that would be very helpful,,,,,Thanks.

 

Answer 1

Start off with 1 log and subtract 1/3 of a log

 

1 - 1/3 = 3/3 - 1/3 = 2/3 of a log left

 

Then Bob cuts off 1/4 of the remaining log.  They key here is "1/4 of the remaining log".  Whenever you take a fraction "of" something, you multiply the fraction times that something.  Therefore,

 

1/4 * 2/3 = 2/12 = 1/6

 

So that means for the second cut he cut 1/6 of the total log.

 

Then subtract this from 2/3, which is what you had left after the first cut

 

2/3 - 1/6 = 4/6 - 1/6= 3/6 = 1/2

 

There is 1/2 a log left.