Help with mathematic problem solving question.

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andrewthomas2008
andrewthomas2008 Posts: 164 Forumite
Sorry if this is wrong section

Helping nephew with homework. Want to make sure I'm answering correctly before I explain how to work it out as he isn't sure himself. I'm terrible at math so don't be brutal.


Fiona's bus fare to work is £1.50. it goes up to £1.80. write the new fare as a fraction of the old bus fare.

My answer is 1.80 - 1.50 = 0.30 then 0.30 / 0.2 = 1/5

Luke buys a house for £150000 and sells it for £200000. Write the selling price as a fraction of the original price in its simplest form.

My answer is 200000 - 150000 = 50000. Then 50000 / 150000 = 0.33 = 33/100

Appreciate any answers
Girlie Girl
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  • jobbingmusician
    jobbingmusician Posts: 20,343 Forumite
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    You are nearly there with the first answer. The new price is a fifth BIGGER than the old price though, so the answer is 1 + 1/5, which is 6/5. This is one of those times when you have to do a common sense check - the bigger price has to be a big fraction of the smaller price so you need a big fraction where the top number is bigger than the bottom number.

    I suspect that the 2nd question is similar (have you left out some words?) - and the new price as a fraction of the old is 4/3 (but perhaps they are asking for decimals or percentages? )
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  • Feebie
    Feebie Posts: 58 Forumite
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    I agree with jobbing musician. Put the new price over the old price and cancel the fraction down.
  • Sagz_2
    Sagz_2 Posts: 6,251 Forumite
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    Has Fiona tried split ticketing :money:
    Some days you're the dog..... most days you're the tree! :D
  • DUTR
    DUTR Posts: 12,958 Forumite
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    Sorry if this is wrong section

    Helping nephew with homework. Want to make sure I'm answering correctly before I explain how to work it out as he isn't sure himself. I'm terrible at math so don't be brutal.


    Fiona's bus fare to work is £1.50. it goes up to £1.80. write the new fare as a fraction of the old bus fare.

    My answer is 1.80 - 1.50 = 0.30 then 0.30 / 0.2 = 1/5

    Luke buys a house for £150000 and sells it for £200000. Write the selling price of the original price in its simplest form.

    My answer is 200000 - 150000 = 50000. Then 50000 / 150000 = 0.33 = 33/100

    Appreciate any answers

    1) 1.8/1.5= 1.2 , 0.2/1 =5 thus 1/5
    2) 200k/150k =1.333 , 1/0.333=3 thus 1/3
  • Twopints
    Twopints Posts: 1,770 Forumite
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    DUTR wrote: »
    1) 1.8/1.5= 1.2 , 0.2/1 =5 thus 1/5
    2) 200k/150k =1.333 , 1/0.333=3 thus 1/3

    X - see post 2 :beer:
    Not even wrong
  • andrewthomas2008
    andrewthomas2008 Posts: 164 Forumite
    edited 1 October 2016 at 8:16AM
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    You are nearly there with the first answer. The new price is a fifth BIGGER than the old price though, so the answer is 1 + 1/5, which is 6/5. This is one of those times when you have to do a common sense check - the bigger price has to be a big fraction of the smaller price so you need a big fraction where the top number is bigger than the bottom number.

    I suspect that the 2nd question is similar (have you left out some words?) - and the new price as a fraction of the old is 4/3 (but perhaps they are asking for decimals or percentages? )

    Yes I did miss a few words, which I've just edited. Sorry about that and thanks for the help.

    Actually I get you what you're saying.
    Girlie Girl
  • Guest101
    Guest101 Posts: 15,764 Forumite
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    1.2 / 6/5ths
  • getmore4less
    getmore4less Posts: 46,882 Forumite
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    fractions : the correct answers are 6/5 and 4/3

    but this is the British education system which does have some weird interpretations of some basic concepts.
  • andrewthomas2008
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    Guest101 wrote: »
    1.2 / 6/5ths

    Cheers I understand the answer but what is the working out please.

    I get that 1.8/1.5 = 1.2 so that's 1/5 more than the original price, so it's 6/5
    So 1.5 X 1.2 = 1.80 which is the new price. But I need to be able to show it to an 11 year how to covert the decimals into the fraction of 6/5.

    I get 200000 / 150000 = 1.33 so that makes it 1/3 more than the whole which is
    So it's 4/3 but when you multiply 150000 by 1.33 you don't get 200000.
    How do I show the fraction be 1/3 added to the 1 aka whole.
    Sorry I know I sound stupid but 1.33 would be 33/100 but you can't simply 100 by 33 to make it 1/3.
    Or do you just ignore the fact for numbers like 0.33 or do I use an approximation.
    Girlie Girl
  • andrewthomas2008
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    fractions : the correct answers are 6/5 and 4/3

    but this is the British education system which does have some weird interpretations of some basic concepts.

    Cheers I understand the answer but what is the working out please.

    I get that 1.8/1.5 = 1.2 so that's 1/5 more than the original price, so it's 6/5
    So 1.5 X 1.2 = 1.80 which is the new price. But I need to be able to show it to an 11 year how to covert the decimals into the fraction of 6/5.

    I get 200000 / 150000 = 1.33 so that makes it 1/3 more than the whole which is
    So it's 4/3 but when you multiply 150000 by 1.33 you don't get 200000.
    How do I show the fraction be 1/3 added to the 1 aka whole.
    Sorry I know I sound stupid but 1.33 would be 33/100 but you can't simply 100 by 33 to make it 1/3.
    Or do you just ignore the fact for numbers like 0.33 or do I use an approximation.

    Also do you have any suggestions on how to make it simpler?
    Girlie Girl
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