It helps to imagine the variable a sort of as a unit. Like with 5 minus 12 lemons, it has no bearings on the addition/subtraction here.
Factor out a and subtract.
Answer:
75%
Step-by-step explanation:
percent = part/whole * 100%
percent = 12/16 * 100%
percent = 0.75 * 100%
percent = 75%
Answer: 75%
The answer is 3 1/3 + 2 1/3 = 5 2/3
Answer: 10
<u>Step-by-step explanation:</u>
varies directly means: 
Step 1: solve for k ⇒ 
Step 2: plug in the given value and k to solve for the missing value: 
42(5) = 21(x)

2(5) = x
10 = x