Final answer:
To find the difference in length between Shen's two pieces of fabric, convert mixed numbers to improper fractions, find a common denominator, and subtract the smaller fraction from the larger, resulting in an exact difference of 5/8 meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
In mathematics, particularly when dealing with measurements and the concept of difference, it is imperative to carefully consider the values you are working with. In this particular question, Shen has two pieces of fabric, and we need to calculate the difference in length between them. The first piece is 1 3/4 meters (which can be estimated as roughly 2 meters), while the second piece is 2 3/8 meters (estimated as roughly 2 1/2 meters). To find the exact difference:
- Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions. 1 3/4 becomes 7/4 and 2 3/8 becomes 19/8.
- Ensure both fractions have a common denominator before subtracting. In this case, the common denominator is 8, so 7/4 equates to 14/8.
- Subtract the smaller fraction from the larger fraction: 19/8 - 14/8 = 5/8.
Therefore, the exact difference in length between the two pieces of fabric is 5/8 meters.