Question

My brother has a question about how you can subtract 8 1/4 and 3 5/12 and get 4 5/6 as your answer?

Answer 1

8 1/4 - 3 5/12

Before subtracting have same denomination (divided into equal parts)

1/4 = 3/12

8 3/12 - 3 5/12 = 4 5/6

First subtract the whole:

7 - 3 = 4

Then, the remaining parts:

1 3/12 - 5/12

15/12 - 5/12

10/12

Reduce:

5/6

So: 8 1/4 - 3 5/12 = 4 5/6

//Hope it helps

Answer 2

Basically you need to first do "8 - 3" which is 5 then you need to convert the numbers so the are the same denominators. So take 1/4 and 5/12, I can see that the 1/4 is lower so we need to multiply the 1/4 by something to make it into 12. If you do 4 x 3 that is = to 12 so now we have to do the same thing to the number on top following the rule whatever you do to the denominator you do to the top number so then 1 x 3 = 3 so then we have 3/12 - 5/12. As you can see the numbers are going to be in the negatives. so we need to take the 8 and make it a 7 making the first equation we did false. so then it is 7 - 3 which is 4. then back to the subtraction of 1/4 which now becomes 5/4 x 3 which is 15/12 - 5/12 which will simply just be 15 - 5 = 10 and then you bring back the denominator and it is equal to 4 10/12 then we can simplify this by bringing the 12 and dividing it by 2 which is 6, then we do the same to the top number 10 divided by 2 which is 5 then we have 4 5/6

Have a good day! :)