![CPM Homework Banner](/dist/7d633b3a30200de4995665c02bdda1b8.png)
Home > MC2 > Chapter 5 > Lesson 5.1.3 > Problem 5-39
5-39.
Alex is trying to simplify the expression
Why might he have regrouped the expression in this way?
What are the differences between the two groups of numbers?
Does it make the equation any easier to solve?
Regrouping simplifies the arithmetic.
Simplify the expression. What is the result?
First simplify the terms in parentheses.
What property was Alex using when he rewrote the problem?
What mathematical actions did Alex take?
What property is this?The Associative Property of Addition.
Use this strategy to regroup the expression
and find the result. Remember, when adding, you can separate the whole numbers from the fractions.