Question

rosa needs to mail two packages.one weighs 5/8 of a pound and the other weighs 2/3 of a pound. what is the total weight of the two packages? how much heavier is rosa's second package than the first?

Answer 1

The answer of this problem is 1.2916

Answer 2

Package #1 = 5/8
Package #2 = 2/3

So for both fractions (5/8 and 2/3), we need to have a common denominator. In this case, the common factor of 8 and 3 is 24.

1. Multiply 5/8 by 3

$\frac{5*3}{8*3} = \frac{15}{24}$

2. Multiply 2/3 by 8

$\frac{2*8}{3*8} = \frac{16}{24}$

3. Simplify 

$\frac{15}{24} + \frac{16}{24} = \frac{31}{24}$

$\frac{31}{24} = 1\frac{7}{24}$

The total weight of the two packages is 1 and 7/24

Package #1 = 15/24
Package #2 = 16/24

Subtract:
$\frac{16}{24} - \frac{15}{24} = \frac{1}{24}$

The second package is 1/24 heavier than the first package.