Question
3. Ramona had \( 8 \frac{3}{8} \) in. of ribbon. She used \( 2 \frac{1}{2} \) in. for an art project. How many inches of ribbon does she have left? Find the difference in simplest form.
Ask by Collins Harrington. in the United States
Feb 25,2025
Upstudy AI Solution
Tutor-Verified Answer
Answer
Ramona has \( 5 \frac{7}{8} \) inches of ribbon left.
Solution
Step 1: Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions.
• 8 3/8 = (8 × 8 + 3) / 8 = 67/8
• 2 1/2 = (2 × 2 + 1) / 2 = 5/2
Step 2: Convert 5/2 to a fraction with denominator 8 so that both fractions have the same denominator.
• 5/2 = (5 × 4) / (2 × 4) = 20/8
Step 3: Subtract the fractions.
• 67/8 – 20/8 = (67 – 20) / 8 = 47/8
• 47/8 can also be written as 5 7/8 (since 47 ÷ 8 = 5 with a remainder of 7).
Thus, Ramona has 5 7/8 inches of ribbon left.
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Simplify this solution Beyond the Answer
To find out how much ribbon Ramona has left, we first convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions. For \( 8 \frac{3}{8} \), we calculate \( 8 \times 8 + 3 = 64 + 3 = 67 \) so it becomes \( \frac{67}{8} \). For \( 2 \frac{1}{2} \), we have \( 2 \times 2 + 1 = 4 + 1 = 5 \), thus \( \frac{5}{2} \). We need a common denominator, which is 8. Convert \( \frac{5}{2} \) to \( \frac{20}{8} \). Now, subtract: \[ \frac{67}{8} - \frac{20}{8} = \frac{47}{8} \] To convert this back to a mixed number, divide \( 47 \) by \( 8 \) which gives \( 5 \) with a remainder of \( 7 \), leading us to \( 5 \frac{7}{8} \) in simplest form. So, Ramona has \( 5 \frac{7}{8} \) inches of ribbon left!
