To first find the answer to this, let's find a common denominator between each fraction. The denominator is the bottom number of a fraction. To find the common denominator, let's factor out each of our denominators 5 times to see if they have a common number. 4: 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 2: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 They both appear to have the smallest common denominator of 4, so let's use 4.
We already have 1/4 with a denominator of 4, but not 1/2. 2 x 2 = 4, so multiply the numerator and the denominator of 1/2 by 2. 1 x 2 = 2 2 x 2 = 4 Your new fraction is 2/4.
Our expression now is: -2 1/4 + 5 2/4 or (in simpler terms) 5 2/4 - 2 1/4
The answer to get 87.3 is to see if the number in the hundredths place (this case 1) is bigger or the same as the value of 5. If it is round the tenth up but if not then cut the rest of the numbers off.
