## anonymous 3 years ago 5/4(a-8) =2/3

1. anonymous

Do you want to find 'a'?

2. anonymous

yes

3. anonymous

Being by isolating the variable, to do this we divide both sides of the equation by 5/4. Remember that dividing a fraction by another fraction is really multiplying the first fraction by the reciprocal of the dividing fraction. $(a - 8) = \frac{ 2 }{ 3 } \times \frac{ 4 }{ 5 }$ We get$a - 8 = \frac{ 8 }{ 15 }$ Now you add 8 to both sides to get a on it's own..$a = \frac{ 8 }{ 15 } +8$ Now we need a common denominator to add these fractions, so..$a = \frac{ 8 }{ 15 } +\frac{ 120 }{ 15 }$ Now we have $a = \frac{ 128 }{ 15 }$

4. anonymous

okkk...

5. anonymous

What doesn't make sense, I'll try to explain better.

6. anonymous

so can you simplify the fraction?

7. whpalmer4

No, factors of 15 are 3,5, and 128 is not divisible by either one.

8. anonymous

No but you can create a mixed fraction.

9. anonymous

Well look at the factors of 15, there's 1, 3, 5 and 15. 128 isn't divisible by any of those, so it can't be simplified. If you want it in mixed number it's:$8\frac{ 8 }{ 15 }$

10. anonymous

The answers I can choose from are 6 14/15 7 1/15 8 8/15 8 2/3

11. whpalmer4

You could write it as a mixed fraction = $8\frac{ 8 }{ 15 }$

12. anonymous

ok, great. Thank you so much!

Find more explanations on OpenStudy