Select the best answer for the question. On Monday [tex]$2 / 3$[/tex] of the team practiced, Tuesday [tex]$7 / 8$[/tex], Wednesday [tex]$1 / 2$[/tex], and Thursday [tex]$3 / 4$[/tex]. On which day were the most team members present at practice?
A. Tuesday
B. Wednesday
C. Monday
D. Thursday
Answer (2)
Convert each fraction to a decimal: 2/3 ≈ 0.67 , 7/8 = 0.875 , 1/2 = 0.5 , 3/4 = 0.75 .
Compare the decimal values.
Identify the largest decimal, which corresponds to the day with the most team members present.
The largest decimal is 0.875 , so the answer is Tuesday: A .
Explanation
Problem Analysis We need to determine on which day the most team members were present at practice. To do this, we will compare the fractions of the team that practiced on each day. The fractions are: Monday: 2/3 , Tuesday: 7/8 , Wednesday: 1/2 , and Thursday: 3/4 .
Solution Strategy To compare the fractions, we can convert each fraction to a decimal.
Decimal Conversion Converting the fractions to decimals, we have:
Monday: 2/3 = 0.6666... Tuesday: 7/8 = 0.875 Wednesday: 1/2 = 0.5 Thursday: 3/4 = 0.75
Comparison and Conclusion Comparing the decimal values, we see that 0.875 is the largest. Therefore, the most team members were present on Tuesday.
Examples
Understanding fractions is crucial in many real-life situations. For example, when baking, you often need to measure ingredients in fractions. If a recipe calls for 2/3 cup of flour and 7/8 cup of sugar, knowing which is more helps you understand the proportions in the recipe. Similarly, in sports, a player's statistics might be represented as fractions, like a batting average in baseball. Comparing these fractions helps assess the player's performance relative to others.
On comparing the fractions of team members who practiced each day by converting them to decimals, Tuesday shows the highest value at 0.875 . Consequently, the most team members were present on Tuesday. Therefore, the correct answer is A.
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