Answer:
4 & 13/40
Explanation:
Just to be clear, are the two numbers:
If so, and you want to add them, then it's easiest to first turn them into improper fractions:
Do you know how I did that?
From there we have to give them the same denominator. A "common denominator," right? Do you know what ALWAYS works? Multiplying them together to get 80.
So let's do that. We'll multiply each fraction by "1", but we'll express that "1" as the denominator of the other in the top and bottom:
- 17/10 x 8/8 = 136/80
- 21/8 x 10/10 = 210/80
Now that the fractions have common denominators, we can just add the numerators together:
136/80 + 210/80 = (136 + 210)/80 = 346/80
That's the answer, but it's not in a nice form yet. Let's simplify by dividing by 2 until we can't anymore:
And I think we're done. Now let's turn that improper fraction into a compound number. How many 40's are there in 173? Right, 4. And what's the remainder? Yes, it's 13. So:
- 173/40 is the same as 4 & 13/40
Quick check of our work:
1 & 7/10 is a little past 1 & 1/2, right?
And 2 & 5/8 is a little past 2 & 1/2?
Add those together to get 4, and the "little past" parts probably give us the thirteen-fortieths.
Precise check: convert the numbers to decimals:
1.7 + 2.625 = 4.325
There's the 4. Is 0.325 the same as 13/40? My calculator says it is, so our answer must be correct.