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Question from marissa, a student:

i have read the examples you have on fraction sequences, but i am still having
a hard time understanding how to figure this out. for example:

__ 1 2/5 __ 3 __ __ __ __7

 

Marissa,

This is an arithmetic sequence. That means the same amount is added to each number to get the next number in the sequence. The key is to find out what that amount is.

It takes two steps (adding the amount twice) to go from 1 2/5 to 3.
So 1 2/5 + d + d = 3.

What is the difference "d"? Knowing that, can you go backwards and forwards along the sequence?

Cheers,
Stephen La Rocque.

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