Question

eve put her cat, fluffy, on a diet and kept track of its weight. fluffy weighed $\frac{1}{12}$ of a kilogram less each week. at the end, she recorded fluffys weight change as $-\frac{5}{8}$ kilograms. how long was fluffy on a diet? enter your answer as a simplified mixed number, in the box.

Explanation:

Step1: Set up division problem

We know the total weight - change is $-\frac{5}{8}$ kilograms and the weight - change per week is $-\frac{1}{12}$ kilograms. To find the number of weeks, we divide the total weight - change by the weight - change per week. So the calculation is $\frac{-\frac{5}{8}}{-\frac{1}{12}}$.

Step2: Use the rule for dividing fractions

Dividing by a fraction is the same as multiplying by its reciprocal. So $\frac{-\frac{5}{8}}{-\frac{1}{12}}=-\frac{5}{8}\times(- 12)$.

Step3: Multiply the fractions

$-\frac{5}{8}\times(-12)=\frac{5\times12}{8}=\frac{60}{8}$.

Step4: Simplify the fraction

$\frac{60}{8}=\frac{15}{2}$.

Step5: Convert to a mixed number

$\frac{15}{2}=7\frac{1}{2}$.

Answer:

$7\frac{1}{2}$