The first step here would be to write an equation for this problem.
4
![(1)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/55daype98oi47j2b5nw9r26vt4buk0otmp.png)
+ 3
![(3)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/eulje16nvg9cdod3mppp9iwzntxa82tvs3.png)
= ?
Now that we have our equation, we can solve it. But rather than converting both the mixed fractions into improper fractions, there is a simpler way we can solve.
We can separate the equation into two simple equations. Which will be adding both the whole numbers and then both the fractions
4 + 3 = ?
![(1)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/55daype98oi47j2b5nw9r26vt4buk0otmp.png)
+
![(3)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/eulje16nvg9cdod3mppp9iwzntxa82tvs3.png)
= ?
Now we solve.
4 + 3 = 7
![(1)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/55daype98oi47j2b5nw9r26vt4buk0otmp.png)
+
![(3)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/eulje16nvg9cdod3mppp9iwzntxa82tvs3.png)
=
![(4)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/cxcpozdyqqbzi5mfequ21ga6k3raqaj2hk.png)
Now that we solved both our separate equations we can get our final answer by combining both answers.
7
![(4)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/cxcpozdyqqbzi5mfequ21ga6k3raqaj2hk.png)
Notice how our answer can be simplified because when both the numerator and denominator are the same, they equal one whole.
After converting
![(4)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/cxcpozdyqqbzi5mfequ21ga6k3raqaj2hk.png)
to one whole we will get our final, simplified answer.
7
![(4)/(4)](https://img.qammunity.org/2019/formulas/mathematics/middle-school/cxcpozdyqqbzi5mfequ21ga6k3raqaj2hk.png)
= 8
So both
Sarah and Nathan picked 8 buckets of strawberries.