Question

The distance between city hall and the post office is 6 1/2 miles . The library site is 1 1/4 closer to city hall than to post office

Answer 1

City hall to post office = 6 1/2 miles

City hall to library site = 1 1/4 miles

library site to post office = unknown. let it be x. 5 1/4 miles

1 1/4 miles + x = 6 1/2 miles

x = 6 1/2 miles - 1 1/4 miles

Find x.

1) convert the mixed fractions into fractions. 6 1/2 = 13/2 ; 1 1/4 = 5/4

x = 13/2 - 5/4

2) get the common denominator. 4 is twice as much as 2. multiply 13/2 by 2/2

13/2 * 2/2 = 26/4

3) Subtract the top numbers and put over the same denominator

x = 26/4 - 5/4 = (26-5) / 4 = 21 / 4

4) simplify the fraction

x = 21/4 = 5 1/4 miles from library site to post office.

Answer 2

26/5
6 1/2 divided 4 1/4