3. There were 9 and \( 5 / 8 \) ounces of chips in the chip container. After the community circle was only \( 61 / 8 \) ounces left of chips left in the container. How many ounces of chips did the scholars eat?

To find out how many ounces of chips the scholars ate, you can subtract the amount left from the original amount. Start with the original amount of chips: \( 9 \frac{5}{8} \) ounces, which converts to an improper fraction of \( \frac{77}{8} \) ounces. The amount left in the container is \( 61/8 \) ounces. Now, subtract: \[ \frac{77}{8} - \frac{61}{8} = \frac{77 - 61}{8} = \frac{16}{8} = 2 \] So, the scholars ate 2 ounces of chips! When dealing with mixed numbers, it’s often easier to convert them into improper fractions for calculations. Remember to convert back to mixed numbers for the final answer if you started with them! A common mistake is to forget to convert the fractions, which can lead to errors in the final answer.