Question

Emilia designs a game in which players try to save a town from a drought. They start with the safer level 5 1/2 feet below normal. At the end of the game, the water level is 4 2/3 feet above normal. What is the difference in the water level? ​

Answer 1

The difference in the water level is -9 1/6 feet.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this game, the water level starts 5 1/2 feet below normal and at the end of the game it is 4 2/3 feet above normal. To find the difference in the water level, we need to subtract the initial level from the final level.

Initial level: - 5 1/2 feet

Final level: + 4 2/3 feet

To subtract fractions, we need a common denominator. The least common multiple of 2 and 3 is 6. So, convert both fractions to have a denominator of 6.

Initial level: - 5 3/6 feet

Final level: + 4 4/6 feet

Now we can subtract the two levels:

Final level - Initial level = (+4 4/6) - (-5 3/6)

To subtract the whole numbers, we subtract 4 from -5 and get -9. For the fractions, subtract 3/6 from 4/6 and get 1/6.

The difference in the water level is -9 1/6 feet.