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Solve the fraction -2/5 + 1/8=

User Gvee
by
4.5k points

2 Answers

11 votes

Final answer:

To solve -2/5 + 1/8, we find a common denominator, which is 40, convert the fractions to have the same denominator, and then add the numerators to get -11/40 as the answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

To solve the fraction -2/5 + 1/8, we can use our intuition for the addition and subtraction of fractions by finding a common denominator. This allows us to combine the fractions in a way that is easy to compute. To find a common denominator, we should look for the smallest number that both denominators divide into evenly.

For 5 and 8, the smallest common denominator is 40. We can convert -2/5 to -16/40 (since 5 times 8 equals 40, multiply the numerator and the denominator of -2/5 by 8) and 1/8 to 5/40 (since 8 times 5 equals 40, multiply the numerator and the denominator of 1/8 by 5).

Now we have fractions with the same denominator: -16/40 + 5/40.

Next, we simply add the numerators while keeping the denominator the same: -16 + 5 = -11. So, our answer in its simplest form is -11/40.

User Aquinq
by
3.9k points
7 votes

Answer:

-11/40

Step-by-step explanation:

-2/5+1/8=?

Turn the fractions into the same denominators:

-2/5 x 8/8= -16/40

1/8x 5/5= 5/40

-16/40+5/40=

now just add the numerators

-16+5= -11

-11/40

User Matekm
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3.5k points