Worked Example 1
A jug holds 2/3 litre and another holds 1/4 litre.
Find a common bottom2/3 = 8/12 and 1/4 = 3/12
Add the tops only11/12 litre altogether
Subtract the same way5/12 litre more in the first
Sense check11/12 is just under a litre, which is right. If the answer had come out over 1, something went wrong.
Worked Example 2
A field is 3/4 hectare, and two thirds of it is planted with maize.
The word OF means multiply2/3 × 3/4
Cancel before multiplyingThe 3s cancel, leaving 2/4 = 1/2 hectare
Notice what happenedMultiplying made the answer SMALLER, which is normal when multiplying by a fraction less than 1.
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