Find a common denominator for the fractions, which is 40.
Convert both fractions to have this common denominator: 5 4 = 40 32 and 8 5 = 40 25 .
Subtract the fractions: 40 32 − 40 25 = 40 7 .
The final answer is 40 7 .
Explanation
Finding a Common Denominator We are asked to subtract two fractions: 5 4 and 8 5 . To do this, we need to find a common denominator.
Rewriting Fractions The least common multiple of 5 and 8 is 40. So, we will rewrite both fractions with a denominator of 40.
Converting 4/5 To rewrite 5 4 with a denominator of 40, we multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 8: 5 4 = 5 × 8 4 × 8 = 40 32 .
Converting 5/8 To rewrite 8 5 with a denominator of 40, we multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 5: 8 5 = 8 × 5 5 × 5 = 40 25 .
Subtracting Fractions Now we can subtract the two fractions: 40 32 − 40 25 = 40 32 − 25 = 40 7 .
Final Answer The result is 40 7 .
Examples
Understanding fractions is crucial in many real-life situations, such as cooking, where you might need to halve or quarter a recipe. For example, if a recipe calls for 5 4 of a cup of flour and you only want to make a portion that is 8 5 the original size, you need to calculate the difference to adjust the ingredients accordingly. This problem demonstrates a basic skill for adjusting proportions and quantities in everyday tasks.
The result of the subtraction 5 4 − 8 5 is 40 7 . To solve it, we first found a common denominator of 40 and then converted both fractions accordingly before subtracting them.
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