Question

What is the distance between these two numbers on a number line :6,4 1/4

Answer 1

To get the distance between

$6$ and $4\frac{1}{4}$, we subtract $4\frac{1}{4}$ from $6$

That is,

$d=6-4\frac{1}{4}$

We change the mixed number to improper fraction now to get,

$d=6-\frac{17}{4}$

This is the same as,

$d=\frac{6}{1}-\frac{17}{4}$

We collect LCM to be 4

$=\frac{4\times6-17}{4}$

This gives us,

$=\frac{24-17}{4}$

$=\frac{7}{4}$

Convert back to mixed number to get,

$=1\frac{3}{4}$

Therefore the distance between the two numbers is $=1\frac{3}{4}$

Note that the other way round will result in negative value. That is subtracting 6 from $4\frac{1}{4}$ will give $-1\frac{3}{4}$

But since this is distance we find the absolute value and get the same result.

$d=|-1\frac{3}{4}|=1\frac{3}{4}$