Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What is the result of subtracting 2/3 from 3 3/5?

1. 11/15

2. 44/15

3. 1/3

4. 9/5

The correct answer is: 44/15

To solve the problem of subtracting \( \frac{2}{3} \) from \( 3 \frac{3}{5} \), it's important to first convert the mixed number into an improper fraction for easier calculation. The mixed number \( 3 \frac{3}{5} \) can be converted as follows: - Multiply the whole number (3) by the denominator (5) to get 15. - Add the numerator (3) to this result to get 15 + 3 = 18. - Therefore, \( 3 \frac{3}{5} = \frac{18}{5} \). Next, we need to perform the subtraction: \[ \frac{18}{5} - \frac{2}{3} \] In order to subtract these fractions, they must have a common denominator. The least common multiple (LCM) of 5 and 3 is 15. We convert both fractions to have this denominator: - For \( \frac{18}{5} \): \[ \frac{18 \times 3}{5 \times 3} = \frac{54}{15} \] - For \( \frac{2}{