Solve the Fraction Equation: 5/6 - 1/3 - 2/12 Step-by-Step

Question

Solve the following exercise:

5613212=? \frac{5}{6}-\frac{1}{3}-\frac{2}{12}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Solve
00:03 We want to find the least common denominator
00:06 Therefore we'll multiply by 2, 4 respectively to find the common denominator
00:09 Remember to multiply both numerator and denominator
00:21 Let's calculate the multiplications
00:30 Subtract under the common denominator
00:37 Let's calculate the numerator
00:50 Reduce the fraction as much as possible
00:53 Remember to divide both numerator and denominator
00:57 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the subtraction of three fractions, follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Identify the denominators of the fractions: 6, 3, and 12.
  • Step 2: Determine the least common denominator (LCD), which is the least common multiple of 6, 3, and 12. The LCD is 12.
  • Step 3: Convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction with the LCD of 12.
    • 56=5×26×2=1012 \frac{5}{6} = \frac{5 \times 2}{6 \times 2} = \frac{10}{12}
    • 13=1×43×4=412 \frac{1}{3} = \frac{1 \times 4}{3 \times 4} = \frac{4}{12}
    • 212 \frac{2}{12} remains 212\frac{2}{12}.
  • Step 4: Perform the subtraction with these equivalent fractions:
    1012412212 \frac{10}{12} - \frac{4}{12} - \frac{2}{12} .
  • Step 5: Subtract the fractions:
    104212=412 \frac{10 - 4 - 2}{12} = \frac{4}{12} .
  • Step 6: Simplify the resulting fraction by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 4:
    412=4÷412÷4=13 \frac{4}{12} = \frac{4 \div 4}{12 \div 4} = \frac{1}{3} .

Therefore, the solution to the problem is 13 \frac{1}{3} .

Answer

13 \frac{1}{3}