How can you solve real problems using decimal addition or decimal subtraction?

1 answer

Decimal addition and subtraction are essential skills used in various real-life situations. Here are some practical examples of how you can use these operations to solve real problems:

Example 1: Budgeting

When creating a budget for personal finances, you often need to add and subtract decimal amounts.

Problem: You have a monthly income of $2,500. Your essential expenses for rent, groceries, and utilities total $1,750. How much money will you have left after expenses?

Solution:

  • Income: $2,500
  • Expenses: $1,750
  • Leftover money: $2,500 - $1,750 = $750

Example 2: Shopping

When shopping, you may want to find out the total cost of multiple items or calculate how much change you will receive.

Problem: You buy three items costing $12.99, $7.49, and $5.75. What is the total cost?

Solution:

  • Total cost: $12.99 + $7.49 + $5.75 = $26.23

Example 3: Cooking Measurements

When following a recipe, you may need to adjust ingredient amounts, which often involves adding or subtracting decimal quantities.

Problem: A recipe requires 3.5 cups of flour, but you want to halve the recipe. How much flour do you need?

Solution:

  • Required amount: 3.5 cups
  • Half of the required amount: 3.5 รท 2 = 1.75 cups

Example 4: Distance Calculation

When planning a trip, you might want to calculate the total distance traveled or determine how far you have left to go.

Problem: You drove 65.4 miles to the first destination and 28.6 miles to the second. How far did you drive in total?

Solution:

  • Total distance: 65.4 + 28.6 = 94.0 miles

Example 5: Time Management

When scheduling, you may need to calculate the total time spent on activities or figure out how much time remains until an event.

Problem: You studied for 1.5 hours, took a break for 0.75 hours, and then studied another 2.25 hours. How long did you study in total?

Solution:

  • Total study time: 1.5 + 2.25 = 3.75 hours
  • Total time (including break): 3.75 + 0.75 = 4.5 hours

Example 6: Health and Fitness

In health tracking, decimal addition and subtraction can help you monitor calorie intake or exercise duration.

Problem: You burned 250.5 calories running and 150.3 calories cycling. How many calories did you burn in total?

Solution:

  • Total calories burned: 250.5 + 150.3 = 400.8 calories

Conclusion

By applying decimal addition and subtraction in these everyday scenarios, you can manage finances, time, cooking, travel, and health effectively. The ability to perform these calculations accurately assists in informed decision-making and planning.