Fractions – Evaluation

I. Always use parentheses when substituting in an evaluation problem.

II. If there are already parentheses in the problem, change them to brackets
when substituting, and simplify inside the brackets as your next step.

III. For the problem below, notice that after substituting, our order of
operations tells us that we must square the -2/3 before multiplying by -7/4.
Remember, according to PEMDAS, exponents come before multiplication.
Be very careful with your order of operations when evaluating with
fractions.
Fractions – Evaluation

1 5 3
Evaluate the following when a = - , b = , and c = :
3 8 4
1. ab + c 2. 2a – 6c
 1  5  3  1 3
 -   + 2 -  − 6 
 3  8  4  3 4
5 3 (6) 3
- +  1 6  3 
24 4 (6) 2 -  −  
 3 1  42 
5 18
- +
24 24 2 ( 2) 9 (3 )
- −
13 3 ( 2) 2 (3 )
24 -4 27
−
6 6
31
-
6

3. 2b – a2 4. c – 4c2
2 2
5  1 3 3
2  −  -  − 4 
8  3 4 4
1 2
2  5   1 3 43
−  
 −  4 1 4
1  84  9
1
(9) 5 − 1 ( 4) 3 4 9 
−  
(9) 4 9 ( 4) 4 1  16 4 
45 4 3 9
− − 
36 36 4 4
41 6
-
36 4
3
-
2
 4 1 3
Evaluate the following when m = , n = - , and p = - :
5 2 7

5. (m + n)2 6. 3m – (n – p)
 4   1   3  
2
 4  1 
 5 +  - 2  3   −  -  −  -  
    5   2   7  
 ( 2) 4 1 (5 )  12  1 ( 7 ) 3 ( 2 ) 
2

 −  −- + 
5  2 ( 7 ) 7 ( 2 ) 
 ( 2) 5 2 (5 ) 
2 12  -7 6 
 8 5  − + 
 −  5  14 14 
 10 10 
12  1 
−- 
2
 3 
  5  14 
 10 
(14 ) 12 + 1 ( 5 )
9
(14 ) 5 14 ( 5 )
100
168 5
+
70 70
173
70

7. mn2 8. n – (n – 7p)2
2 2
 4  1   1   1   3 
  -   -  −  -  − 7  -  
 5  2   2   2   7 
 1   1

2

 4  1     
1 1 7  3 
 5   4 1   -  −  -  −  - 
   2   2  1  7 1 
 
1
( 2) 
2
 1  1
5  -  − - + 3 
 2  2 ( 2) 
2
 1   -1 6 
-  − + 
 2  2 2
2
 1 5
-  − 
 2 2
( 2 )  - 1  −  25 
( 2 )  2   4 
-2 25
−
4 4
27
-
4
 1 1
Evaluate the following when s = and t = - :
4 5

st 3s
9. 10.
s+t 10t
 1  1   1
 -  3 
 4  5  4
1  1 2
+-  10  1 
4  5 - 
1  51 
1
- 3
20
(5) 1 − 1 ( 4) 4
2
(5) 4 5 ( 4) -
1
1 3  1
- ⋅ - 
20 4  2
5 4
−
20 10 3
-
-1 8
20
1
20
1
-1 20
⋅
1 20 1
-1