Q:

What two numbers are located 3/8 of a unit from 1/2 on a number line? Show your work . (Please help me!!!)

Accepted Solution

A:
3/8 unit from 1/2 means you have to add 3/8 to 1/2 to get one of the numbers and subtract 3/8 from 1/2 to get the other number.
If you think of it on the number line, 3/8 from 1/2 is just addition when you move to the right and subtraction when you move to the left.Β 

1) So to subtract fractions, you have to find a common denominator. The common denominator between 1/2 and 3/8 is 8. That means we have to multiply 1/2 by 4/4 (which is equal to 1).
[tex] \frac{1}{2} \times \frac{4}{4} = \frac{4}{8} [/tex].

Now we can find [tex] \frac{4}{8}- \frac{3}{8} [/tex]:
[tex]\frac{4}{8}- \frac{3}{8} = \frac{1}{8} [/tex]

One of your numbers is 1/8

2) To add fractions, we also need a common denominator. We already found the common denominator in part one, so all we need to do is add 3/8 and 4/8 to find your second number:
[tex]\frac{4}{8}+ \frac{3}{8} = \frac{7}{8} [/tex]

Your second number is 7/8.Β 
Your two numbers are 1/8 and 7/8.