Is 42 1/2 miles from Eaton to Baxter and 37 4/5 miles from Baxter to Wellington how far is it from Eaton to Wellington, if you go by way of Baxter?

You can the fractions of the problem with denominators (the bottom numbers). Change the denominators to ten.

1/2 = 5/10

4/5 = 8/10

Then you add those two fractions.

5/10+8/10 = 13/10 = 1 3/10

Then you add your two whole numbers

42+37 = 79

Then add the fraction and whole number together

79+1 3/10 = 80 3/10 miles