#Need help understanding: Additive property of equality with signed fractions
46 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)
What is your question exactly?
Ah I see. It's the same process as whole numbers. You try to isolate x
In your example, you can isolate x by subtracting 1/6 from both sides
I need to see what you've done
cool. Then just simplify -4/5-1/6 and you're done
That is what I am stuck on
ah okay gotcha
How would I go about that?
When adding fractions, you want to express both fractions to have the same common denominator
As an example, say, adding 1/2 and 1/3
Multiply the top and bottom of 1/2 by the denominator of 1/3. That is, 3.
So $\frac{1}{2}=\frac{1\cdot 3}{2\cdot 3}=\frac{3}{6}$
SWR
And then multiply the top and bottom of 1/3 by the denominator of 1/2, which 2
So $\frac{1}{3}=\frac{1\cdot 2}{3\cdot 2}=\frac{2}{6}$
SWR
Now, both fractions have the same bases. $$\frac{1}{2}+\frac{1}{3}=\frac{3}{6}+\frac{2}{6}$$
SWR
To add fractions with the same base, you add the numerators, but keep the denominator unchanged
$\frac{3}{6}+\frac{2}{6}=\frac{2+3}{6}=\frac{5}{6}$
SWR
Sure. That's the whole thing though, so just read it over and ask questions where you have them
no problem
You multiplied numerator by 6, but you forgot to do it with denominator too