Question

What is the value of the sum? - 3/8+ 5/10 -11/16 -1/16 1/16 1/4 -1/4

Answer 1

First, you must convert the decimals to have the same denominator.

Find the least common multiple of both fractions' denominators:

Multiples of 8: {8,16,24,32,40}
Multiples of 10: {10,20,30,40}

The least common multiple of 8 and 10 is 40.

Multiply the fractions by a number that will make their denominator 40:

$- \frac{3}{8} \times \frac{5}{5} = - \frac{15}{40}$
$\frac{5}{10} \times \frac{4}{4} = \frac{20}{40}$

Now you can add these fractions together:

$-\frac{15}{40} + \frac{20}{40} = \frac{5}{40}$

Simplify this fraction:

$\frac{5}{40} \div \frac{5}{5} = \frac{1}{8}$

The answer should be 1/8.