Multiply 4 by −5/8. Write the answer as a mixed number in simplest form.
To multiply 4 by −5/8, you multiply the whole numbers and the fractions separately:
4 * (-5) = -20
1 * 8 = 8
Combine the whole numbers and fractions:
-20/8
Simplify the fraction to simplest form:
-20/8 = -10/4 = -5/2
The answer is -5/2, which can be written as a mixed number as -2 1/2.
To multiply 4 by -5/8, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Multiply the whole number (4) by the numerator of the fraction (-5). This gives you -20.
- Whole number (4) * Numerator (-5) = -20
Step 2: Write the result from Step 1 as the numerator of the mixed number.
Step 3: The denominator of the mixed number remains the same (-8).
Step 4: Simplify the fraction if possible. Since -20 and -8 are both divisible by 4, divide the numerator and denominator by 4. This gives you 5/2.
Step 5: Write the mixed number in simplest form. The mixed number is -20/8. As we simplified the fraction in Step 4, the simplest form of the mixed number is -5/2.
Therefore, the answer to multiplying 4 by -5/8 is -5/2.