Kelly C.

asked • 01/16/19

Fractions help please

A school librarian ordered new books from the library. Of the new books ordered, 1/3 are science, 2/5 are biography, and the rest of the books or fiction. What fraction of the books ordered or fiction?

Grace Y.

Hi but my problem was the same exact numbers except the question was: What fraction of the books ordered was fiction? Please help and explain. Thanks 😊
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02/15/24

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Denise L. answered • 01/17/19

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Hi Kelly,


When you are doing problems like this, watch the denominators on the fractions --- you can't add or subtract thirds and fifths...you need the same denominator first which you can get by multiplying the two numbers (sometimes there is a smaller least common multiple.)


So here, if 1/3 are science, that is 5/15 science.

If 2/5 are biography, that is 6/15 biography.

The total number of books is 15/15, another way to write 1.

So if the rest are fiction, that would be 15/15 - 5/15 - 6/15 =


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Vickey G.

when we add 2/15+6/15= 11/15, how 15/15 come. can you explain please.
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03/21/19

Denise L.

Yes...science and biography together are 11/15. But you also have fiction books a third category. Since all three types must add to 15/5 or 1...the fiction books are 15/15 - 11/16= 4/15. Does that help?
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03/22/19

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