Question

You are a screenwriter who is writing a script for an hour-long police drama. You have written 20 1/2 pages for act 1 and 5 1/2 pages for act 2.

How many pages have you written in total?

Answer 1

Given:

Written pages for Act 1 = 20 1/2

Written pages for Act 2 = 5 1/2

For making mixed numbers like this easier to add, let's convert them first into an irrational number with this formula,

((Whole Number × Denominator) + Numerator)/Denominator

Thus,

for 20 1/2

((20 × 2) + 1)/2 = 41/2

for 5 1/2

((5 × 2) + 1)/2 = 11/2

Then we add,

41/2 + 11/2

Since, they have the same denominator, no more conversions need, proceed adding the numerators,

(41 + 11)/2 = 52/2 = 26

You've written 26 pages in total.

Answer 2

You have written 26 pages in total.

Explanation:

I always enjoyed adding fractions. Something about it is so... simple.

The problem is basically asking us to add 20 1/2 and 5 1/2 together.

I would first suggest adding both halves together, to make 1.

That way, we're left with 20 + 5 + 1. That seem easier, doesn't it?

Then we would add 20, 5 and 1 together, to get 26 whole pages.

And that, to an extent, is how I did it.

Hope this helps! :D