24. At a company picnic, 1/2 of the people are employees. 2/5 are employees' spouses. What percent are neither?

One half of X are employees.

One third of X are employee's spouses.

We add one half PLUS one third:

1/2 + 1/3 = 3/6 + 2/6 = 5/6

Then we subtract that fraction from one whole, or 1,

to see what fraction is left.  That is, we say

1 minus 5/6

which is

1 - 5/6

Now write 1 as 6/6

6/6 - 5/6

We get 1/6

So 1/6 is left.  Now we need to make that into

a percent by multiplying it by 100 and tacking on a "%"

1/6 � 100

1/6 � 100/1

100/6

50/3

16 2/3 %

So 16 2/3 % of the people in

attendance are neither employees

nor employee's spouses.

Now let's check:

1/2 are employees.  That's 50%

1/3 are wmployee's spouses. That's 33 1/3%

15 2/3 % are neither employees nor employee's spouses.

Add them up

50     %

33 1/3 %

16 2/3 %

99 3/3 %

And 99 3/3% = 100%

Step-by-step explanation: