what is 42 5/12 minus 27 7/12 equals

Basically 41 and 17/12 minus 27 and 7/12.

So it's 14 5/6

42 5/12 - 27 7/12

= 509/12 - 331/12
= 178/12
= 89/6
= 14 5/6 , if you need a mixed number

but, mixed numbers are such useless numbers, since you cannot do anything with them

I would prefer the answer of 89/12

To calculate the subtraction of mixed numbers, we can follow these steps:

1. Convert the mixed numbers to improper fractions.
- For 42 5/12, multiply the whole number (42) by the denominator (12) and add the numerator (5), then write it as a fraction over the denominator: (42 * 12 + 5) / 12 = 509/12.
- For 27 7/12, do the same calculation: (27 * 12 + 7) / 12 = 331/12.

2. Subtract the two fractions.
- 509/12 - 331/12 = (509 - 331) / 12 = 178/12.

3. Simplify the resulting fraction, if possible.
- The fraction 178/12 can be simplified by dividing both the numerator and denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 2. Thus, we get 89/6.

Therefore, 42 5/12 minus 27 7/12 equals 89/6 (or 14 5/6 as a mixed number).