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Add and simplify. $$ -\frac{37}{45}-\left(-\frac{18}{45}\right) $$

Short Answer

Expert verified
The simplified result is \(-\frac{19}{45}\).

Step by step solution

01

Remove Parentheses

The problem is \(-\frac{37}{45}-\left(-\frac{18}{45}\right)\). Remove the parentheses, noting that subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive: \(-\frac{37}{45} + \frac{18}{45}\).
02

Combine the Fractions

Since both fractions have a common denominator of 45, you can directly subtract the numerators: \(\frac{-37 + 18}{45}\).
03

Calculate the Numerator

Calculate \(-37 + 18\), which equals \(-19\). This gives you the fraction \(-\frac{19}{45}\).
04

Simplify the Fraction

Check if \(\frac{19}{45}\) can be simplified. The number 19 is a prime number and does not have common factors with 45, so \(\frac{19}{45}\) is already in simplest form.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Common Denominator
Before combining fractions, it's essential that both fractions involved share a common denominator. The common denominator is a shared number that allows fractions to be easily computed together. This shared base makes it possible to add or subtract the numerators while keeping the denominator constant. In the given problem, both fractions, \(-\frac{37}{45}\) and \(\frac{18}{45}\), already have a common denominator of 45, which simplifies the process. If they didn't share the same denominator, you'd need to adjust one or both fractions by finding the least common denominator, typically achieved through identifying the least common multiple of their respective denominators.Understanding and finding a common denominator is crucial for smoothly adding or subtracting fractions. It allows you to focus on numerators for the calculation, offering a streamlined method to solve such problems.
Subtracting Fractions
When subtracting fractions, the fundamental rule is that they must have a common denominator. This means you are able to directly subtract their numerators while keeping the denominator unchanged. For example, with the fractions \(\frac{-37}{45}\) and \(\frac{18}{45}\), subtract the numerators: -37 and 18, to find the new numerator of the resulting fraction, leading you to \(\frac{-37 + 18}{45}\). Here, subtraction became simple addition because of the negative sign outside the parenthesis.After calculating the new numerator as \(-19\), you will have the fraction \(-\frac{19}{45}\). It is important to perform careful arithmetic operations at this step to avoid errors. This ensures you arrive at the correct result more consistently. Practicing subtraction of fractions helps to deepen the understanding of fraction manipulation and arithmetic.
Prime Numbers
Prime numbers play a significant role when simplifying fractions. A prime number is defined as a number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. In the fraction \(-\frac{19}{45}\), 19 is the numerator.Since 19 is a prime number, it implies that there are no other numbers, except for 1 and 19, that can divide 19 without leaving a remainder. Therefore, it immediately signifies that \(\frac{19}{45}\) is already in its simplest form, provided that 19 does not appear as a factor for the denominator 45. Understanding prime numbers helps quicken the fraction simplification process. Whenever the numerator of a fraction is a prime number that doesn’t divide any part of the denominator, you can confidently confirm that the fraction is already simplified.

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