Question

There were 24 1/4 crates of tomatoes in the barn but 7 3/5 crates of tomatoes were rotten and had to be thrown out. Joe sold 8 1/3 crates and canned 7 5/6 crates of tomatoes. How many crates of tomatoes were left?

Answer 1

29/60 of the crates are left behind.

Explanation:

Total number of crates = 24 1/4= 97/4

Rotten tomatoes crates = 7 3/5= 38/5

Joe sold crates = 8 1/3= 25/8

Canned crates of tomatoes =7 5/6= 47/6

Therefore

24 1/4 - 7 3/5 - 8 1/3 - 7 5/6

= 97/4-38/5-25/3-47/6

= (97*5-38*4)/20 - (25*2+47)/6

= 485-152/20 - 97/6

= 333/20-97/6

= 333*3-97*10/60

=999-970/60

=29/60

29/60 of the crates are left behind.

This question is solved in 2 steps.

First the LCM of fraction 1 and 2 is taken separately from the LCM of fraction 3 and 4 for simplification purposes.

Then again the LCM is taken for the answers obtained from fraction 1&2 and fraction 3& 4.