Question

What is the distance between these two numbers on a number line :6,4 1/4

Answer 1

To get the distance between

`6` and
`4(1)/(4)`, we subtract
`4(1)/(4)` from
`6`

That is,

`d=6-4(1)/(4)`

We change the mixed number to improper fraction now to get,

`d=6-(17)/(4)`

This is the same as,

`d=(6)/(1)-(17)/(4)`

We collect LCM to be 4

`=(4*6-17)/(4)`

This gives us,

`=(24-17)/(4)`

`=(7)/(4)`

Convert back to mixed number to get,

`=1(3)/(4)`

Therefore the distance between the two numbers is
`=1(3)/(4)`

Note that the other way round will result in negative value. That is subtracting 6 from
`4(1)/(4)` will give
`-1(3)/(4)`

But since this is distance we find the absolute value and get the same result.

`d=|-1(3)/(4)|=1(3)/(4)`