Converting a Decimal to a Fraction and More

[Eugenia]

Hello. I'm new to this site but already I can tell I'm going to be very grateful to some of you. I'm having some difficulty with this problem. I also try to respect board rules, so I want it known that I'm not positive this is the correct forum; what I'm doing is Algebra II but I'm sure that my difficulty lies in something I should have learned in a lesser level.

This is the problem that caused me grief. It actually gave the answer at the bottom, but I accidentally deleted that part. It's not necessary anyway, as I could solve it once I understand this.
I was able to do everything this page says; incidently it cuts off just where I had my difficulty (I understand everything else). That is, when I multiply 5 by 3/17, I get a very long decimal number (0.88235294). As you see, I'm supposed to turn this into a simplified fraction... and I have no idea how. I suppose that I can, by turning it into 88235294/100000000, convert it to a fraction, but that's certainly not simplified, and I'm wary to progress from there with as little as I know.
Could someone please tell me what to do now? Calculators are allowed in this problem.

 

[mmm4444bot]

... I multiply 5 by 3/17, I get a very long decimal number ... I'm supposed to turn this into a simplified fraction ... and I have no idea how.

(5) * (3/17) = 15/17

 

[fasteddie65]

Depending on which calculator you are using, you can convert a decimal to a fraction. On a TI-83/84, you can use MATH 1>Frac and a lowest terms fraction will be shown. Simply use that after the decimal appears.

 

[Loren]

$\displaystyle \frac{17}{3}u > 5$

Why is a calculator even involved in this?
If you multiply each side by 3/17 you get...

$\displaystyle u > \frac{15}{17}$

What's wrong with that as a final answer, or are common fractions outlawed?

 

[Eugenia]

Thank you, everyone (and whoever moved this). It looks very accessible now; I'm going to go back to these problems and see if I still have the same problem. I'm going to feel silly if I was trapped by multiplying fractions, but it's a relief in a way.

 

[Denis]

Wonder why they solved it that "complicated" way...
Your equation: 6u - u/3 - 8 > -3
Step#1: multiply by 3 to get rid of fraction:
18u - u - 24 > -9
17u > 15
u > 15/17

Follow that, Eugenia?