19 6/16 - 11 9/16 - 1/16, how to work out

Question

Havent done math in 10 years. Taking an entrance test for a vo tech and need help with the work keys.

Answer 1

Jonathan,

 

19 6/16 is the same as 19 + 6/16. The same logic applies to 11 9/16.

 

Next, you need to know how to add fractions. To add two fractions (or a regular number and a fraction), they need to have a common denominator. The denominator is the number on the right-hand side of the /. In 6/16, the denominator is 16. A common denominator means both fractions must have the same number on the right-hand side of the /.

 

To compute 19 + 6/16, both numbers must have the same number in the denominator. You probably noticed that there is no / for 19. However, 19 can be written as 19/1 without harm. This is true of all "regular numbers." 18=18/1, 19=19/1, 20=20/1, and so on. This is because 18/1 is the same as 18 divided by 1, which you can see by putting into a calculator is equal to 18. Therefore, 19 + 6/16 = 19/1 + 6/16.

 

Now there's the work of getting a common denominator for 19/1 + 6/16. The easiest way I can see is to make the 1 in 19/1 equal to 16. What times 1 equals 16? You probably remember that any number times 1 equals itself. So 1 times 16=16, or 1*16=16.

 

But, to keep 19/1 "the same," you can't just multiply the 1 by 16; you also have to multiply the 19 by 16. That is, you have to compute 19/1 * 16/16. You should note that 16/16 is equal to 1. So 19/1 * 16/16= 19/1 * 1 = 19/1 = 19. That is, by multiplying by 16/16, you haven't really changed anything about 19/1.

 

19/1 * 16/16 =304/16. You can easily verify that with a calculator.

 

OK, so 19 = 304/16. What about 19 6/16 = 19 + 6/16?

 

19 6/16 = 19 + 6/16 = 304/16 + 6/16 = ?

 

To add fractions, only add the numerators, not the denominators. The numerators are the numbers on top. What I mean is,

 

304/16 + 6/16 = 310/16 (because 304+6=310).

 

OK, so 19 6/16 = 19 + 6/16 = 304/16 + 6/16 = 310/16.

 

Use the same logic to find 11 9/16.

 

Once you have that, you should have something like

 

310/16 + thing you are going to find/16 - 1/16

 

which you should be able to solve.

 

Leave a comment if you need help and I'll respond.

 

Bryce