Two splice plates are cut from a piece of sheet steel that has an overall length of 17 1/4 in. The plates are 8 1/8 in. and 5 11/16 in. long. How much material remains from the original piece if each saw cut removes 1/16 in.?

The answer is 3 3/16 in.

17 1/4 = 17 + 1/4 = 68/4 + 1/4 = 69/4

8 1/8 = 8 + 1/8 = 64/8 + 1/8 = 65/8

5 11/16 = 5 + 11/16 = 80/16 + 11/16 = 91/16

There are two saw cuts for two plates. So 8 1/8, 5 11/16, and twice 1/16 should be subtracted from the overall length.

69/4 - (65/8 + 91/16 + 1/16 + 1/16) =

69/4 - (130/16 + 91/16 + 1/16 + 1/16) =

69/4 - 223/16 =

276/16 - 223/16 =

53/16 =

48/16 + 3/16 =

3 + 3/16 =