Subtracting Fractions

Subtracting fractions is a mathematical operation used to find the difference between two or more fractions.

In order to subtract fractions, the fractions must have the same denominator, which is the bottom number of the fraction.

For example, if we want to subtract the fractions 1/2 and 1/2, we can simply subtract the numerators (the top number of the fraction) and keep the denominator the same. So 1/2 - 1/2 = (1 - 1)/2 = 0/2 which simplifies to 0.

When the denominators of the fractions are different, you will need to find a common denominator, which is a number that both denominators can be divided into. Once you have a common denominator, you can subtract the numerators and put the difference over the common denominator.

For example, let's say we want to subtract the fractions 3/4 and 1/2, we need to find a common denominator. A common denominator for 4 and 2 is 4, so we can convert 1/2 to 2/4 by multiplying the numerator and denominator by 2. Now we can subtract the fractions: 3/4 - 2/4 = (3 - 2)/4 = 1/4

It's important to remember that when subtracting fractions, the denominators must be the same or a common denominator must be found.

You can practice subtracting fractions with different examples, like using pictures or real-life scenarios, this will help the child to understand the concept better.