Question

A carpenter cut board that was 3/4 foot long from a board that was 5 1/4 feet long. How long was the remaining piece of wood?

Answer 1

first we can change 5 1/4 into an improper fraction:
21/4 (20/4+1/4)

then we subtract 3/4 from 21/4
21/4-3/4=18/4

it could either be an improper fraction: 18/4 feet long or a proper fraction 4 2/4 -> 4 1/2 feet long

hope i helped!

Answer 2

4 1/2 feet

Step-by-step explanation:

You find the amount remaining by subtracting the cut length from the original length:

... remaining = 5 1/4 - 3/4

... = 5 +1/4 -3/4 . . . . . . rearrange the problem a bit

... = 5 + (1/4 -3/4) = 5 + (-2/4) = 5 - 1/2 . . . . . . add the fractional parts

... remaining = 4 1/2 . . . . . . . . . . subtract the fraction from the whole number

Units are feet.

_____

We assume you know that 1 - 1/2 = 1/2, so (4 + 1) - 1/2 = 4 + (1 - 1/2) = 4 1/2.