Question

Ryan calculated the missing measure in the diagram shown. What was his mistake?

2.6
4.8
=
h
14.4

14.4 ×
2.6
4.8
=
h
14.4
× 14.4
37.44
4.8
= h
7.8 = h
Ryan should have
(select)
14.4 and 4.8 to get a denominator of
on the right side of the first line. Doing so gives the correct value, h =
cm.

Answer 1

Ryan's mistake was in multiplying the numerator and denominator of the fraction 2.6/4.8 by 14.4. This resulted in a value of 37.44 in the numerator, which is incorrect.

To correctly calculate the missing measure, Ryan should have multiplied the numerator and denominator of 2.6/4.8 by 14.4/4.8, which would simplify to 3. This gives:

2.6/4.8 = h/14.4

Multiplying both sides by 14.4:

h = 14.4 × 2.6/4.8

h = 7.8 cm

So, Ryan should have selected "3" as the denominator for the fraction 2.6/4.8.

Explanation: