Question

What is the difference in height between a rose bush that is 3'9” tall and Emma who is 5½ feet tall?

Answer 1

Answer is 1 foot 9 inches difference

Step by step

First we will change both measurements to feet and inches

3 ft 9 inches and 5 ft 6 inches ( 1/2 ft is half of 12 = 6)

Subtract

5 ft 6 inches
-3 ft 9 inches

Since 1 foot is 12 inches we will borrow 12 inches from 5 foot so we can subtract, add 12 to 6 and subtract 1 from 5

4 ft 18 inches
-3 ft 9 inches
__________
1 ft 9 inches difference

Problem solved