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A student accidentally added five to both the numerator and denominator of a fraction, changing the fraction's value to $\frac12$. If the original numerator was a 2, what was the original denominator

User Tometchy
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1 Answer

4 votes

Answer:

Original denominator=9

Explanation:

A student accidentally added five to both the numerator and denominator of a fraction, changing the fraction's value to 1/2. If the original numerator was a 2, what was the original denominator.

Original Numerator=2

The new numerator after the addition of 5 will be 2+5=7

New Numerator=7

New denominator=x

Value of the fraction=1/2

The Fraction is written in the form:

7/x=1/2

Cross product

7*2=1*x

14=x

x=14

Therefore, the new denominator (x)=14

Check:

7/14=1/2

Original denominator before 5 was accidentally added

=14-5

=9

User Korina
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