then why doesn't -3/8 + 1/4 = -5/8?
2007-12-04 13:55:06 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
oh noooooooo, now I really don't know what the answer is
2007-12-04 14:09:45 · update #1
Think of it as a number line.
You start at 0.
You move 3/8 across and then 1/4 across.
Totally you have moved (3/8)+(1/4) = (5/8) across.
If you moved (3/8) backwards from 0, (because it's negative), and then (1/4) forwards you go from (-3/8) + (1/4)
(-3/8) + (1/4)
(-3/8) + (2/8)
(-3+2)/(8)
(-1/8)
You end up (-1/8) behind 0.
hope this helped.
2007-12-04 14:10:19 · answer #1 · answered by Chaoran S 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
3/8+1/4=4/12=1/4
2007-12-04 15:49:17 · answer #2 · answered by angels_angelsarehere 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because -3/8 + 1/4 is the same thing as
1/4 (or 2/8) - 3/8
2/8 - 3/8 = -1/8
2007-12-04 14:02:00 · answer #3 · answered by topink 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3/8 + 1/4 = 5/8
-(3/8 + 1/4) = - 5/8
-3/8 - 1/4 = -5/8
2007-12-04 13:59:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
3/8 + 1/4
find common dennominator = 8
3/8 +1/4 =5/8
2007-12-04 14:08:03 · answer #5 · answered by kalee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3/8 + 1/4 = 5/8
3/8+2/8=5/8
3+2=5
-3/8+1/4
-3/8+2/8=-1/8
-3+2=-1
-3/8+-1/4
-3/8-2/8=-5/8
-3+-2=-5
2007-12-04 14:00:24 · answer #6 · answered by vi3t10nisgirl 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because you have to change all the signs of all the parts of the equation you left out the - on 1/4
2007-12-04 13:59:13 · answer #7 · answered by Ryann 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
⅜ + ¼ = ⅝
If you multiply the entire equation by -1
-1∙(⅜ + ¼ = ⅝)
you get
-⅜ - ¼ = -⅝
2007-12-04 14:03:08 · answer #8 · answered by DWRead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋