Question

What is the answer?

`3-2/3-7/9`

Answer 1

`14/9=1 5/9`

Explanation:

To simplify this, we need to have denominators that are all the same (if you think about it in terms of pizza slices, a pizza slice from a pizza sliced into 9 pieces is far smaller than a slice from a pizza sliced into 3 slices). We can do that by using creative forms of the number 1:

`3(1)-2/3(1)-7/9(1)`

`3(9/9)-2/3(3/3)-7/9(1/1)`

`27/9-6/9-7/9`

And now we work this from left to right:

`21/9-7/9`

`14/9=1 5/9`

Answer 2

`14/9`

Explanation:

.

We need to do something that will give all three terms the same denominator. This common denominator has to be divisible by all three original denominators.

Because `9` is divisible by both `3 and 1`, we will make our common denominator `9`. So, we will multiply the top and the bottom of each term by whatever will give us `9` at the bottom of all three terms.

Remember that `3=(3)/1`

`3-2/3-7/9=3/1-2/3-7/9=(3(9))/9-(2(3))/(3(3))-7/9=27/9-6/9-7/9=(27-6-7)/9=(27-13)/9=14/9`

Answer 3

`14/9`

Explanation:

So we have

`3-2/3-7/9`

So to subtract or add two fractions, they have to have the denominator. In order to do that, find their least common multiple. Since `3` is a multiple of `9`, we can do `3*(-2)/3` to get the same denominator and subtract

`3*(-2)/3=-6/9`

However, we also have the whole number `3`. This, as a fraction is `3/1`. Multiply by `9` and we have `27/9`. Now we can set up the whole equation:

`27/9-6/9-7/9`

Because `-6/9` is a negative number, it cannot technically be subtracted. `-7/9` and `-6/9` can be added together but is still negative.

And now we have

`27/9-13/9=14/9`

Hopefully this helped and made sense!