Molly drank 4/6 of a glass of water in the morning and 5 1/2 glasses in the afternoon. How much water did Molly drink in all?

Write your answer as a fraction or as a whole or mixed number.

1 answer

To find out how much water Molly drank in total, we need to add the amount she drank in the morning to the amount she drank in the afternoon.

First, let's convert the morning amount: Molly drank \( \frac{4}{6} \) of a glass of water in the morning. We can simplify this fraction: \[ \frac{4}{6} = \frac{2}{3} \]

Next, we will convert the afternoon amount: Molly drank \( 5 \frac{1}{2} \) glasses in the afternoon. We can convert this mixed number into an improper fraction: \[ 5 \frac{1}{2} = 5 + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{10}{2} + \frac{1}{2} = \frac{11}{2} \]

Now we will add the two amounts together: \[ \frac{2}{3} + \frac{11}{2} \]

To add these fractions, we need a common denominator. The least common denominator (LCD) for 3 and 2 is 6.

Next, we convert each fraction: \[ \frac{2}{3} = \frac{2 \times 2}{3 \times 2} = \frac{4}{6} \] \[ \frac{11}{2} = \frac{11 \times 3}{2 \times 3} = \frac{33}{6} \]

Now we can add the two fractions: \[ \frac{4}{6} + \frac{33}{6} = \frac{4 + 33}{6} = \frac{37}{6} \]

Finally, we can convert \( \frac{37}{6} \) into a mixed number: \[ 37 \div 6 = 6 \quad \text{with a remainder of } 1 \] So, \( \frac{37}{6} = 6 \frac{1}{6} \).

Therefore, the total amount of water Molly drank is: \[ \boxed{6 \frac{1}{6}} \]