Question

Priya's cat weights 5 1/2 pounds and her dog weighs 8 1/4 pounds. The dog is ______ pounds heavier than the cat.

Answer 1

2 3/4

Steps

8 1/4 - 5 1/2

a. Find Common Denominator

8 1/4 - 5 2/4

b. Make Improper Fractions

8 × 4 + 1 = 33

33/4

5 × 4 + 2

22/4

c. Subtract

33/4 - 22/4 = 11/4

d. Simplify

11/4 = 2 3/4

e. Answer

Therefore, Priya's dog is 2 3/4 pounds heavier than the cat.

Answer 2

`2(3)/(4)`

Explanation:

We have to subtract the weight of the cat from the weight of the dog.

`8(1)/(4) -5(1)/(2)`

The first issue here is that there is not a common denominator. I'm going to multiply that 1/2 by 2 to make it 2/4. The 5 does NOT change.

`8(1)/(4) -5(2)/(4)`

Subtract the whole numbers first.

`8(1)/(4) -5(2)/(4) = 3(1)/(4) -(2)/(4)`

Then, we'll convert the first term to an improper fraction. We can do that by multiplying the whole number by the denominator and adding that number to the numerator.

`3(1)/(4) -(2)/(4) ==> (13)/(4) - (2)/(4)`

Solve.

`(13)/(4) -(2)/(4) = (11)/(4)`

Then, convert to a mixed number by dividing 11 by 4 and leaving the remainder in the numerator and putting the quotient in front as the whole number.

`(11)/(4) ==> 2(3)/(4)`

So, the answer is
`2(3)/(4)`