a- 2 1/2 < 17 1/2

True

whats the answer

The answer is true. The statement "2 1/2 < 17 1/2" is true because 2 1/2 is less than 17 1/2.

explain how to get the answer

To compare 2 1/2 and 17 1/2, you can first convert both numbers to improper fractions, so they have the same denominator.

2 1/2 = 5/2
17 1/2 = 35/2

Now you can see that 5/2 as a fraction is indeed less than 35/2. This means 2 1/2 is less than 17 1/2, making the statement true.

a- 2 1/2 < 17 1/2 were doing equalites

To compare the two fractions 2 1/2 and 17 1/2, you can convert them both to improper fractions, which allows for easier comparison.

2 1/2 = 5/2
17 1/2 = 35/2

Now, compare the two fractions:
5/2 < 35/2

Since the denominators are the same, you can now compare the numerators. 5 is less than 35, so:
5/2 < 35/2

Therefore, the statement 2 1/2 < 17 1/2 is true.