Solve the Fraction Subtraction: 3/7 minus 1/3

Question

Solve the following exercise:

3713=? \frac{3}{7}-\frac{1}{3}=\text{?}

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Identify the fractions and denominators involved.
  • Step 2: Find a common denominator for the two fractions.
  • Step 3: Convert each fraction to an equivalent fraction with the common denominator.
  • Step 4: Subtract the numerators and simplify the result.

Let's perform each of these steps:

Step 1: We have the fractions 37\frac{3}{7} and 13\frac{1}{3}.

Step 2: Find a common denominator. The denominators are 7 and 3, so the common denominator will be 7×3=217 \times 3 = 21.

Step 3: Convert each fraction:

  • For 37\frac{3}{7}, multiply both numerator and denominator by 3 to get 3×37×3=921\frac{3 \times 3}{7 \times 3} = \frac{9}{21}.
  • For 13\frac{1}{3}, multiply both numerator and denominator by 7 to get 1×73×7=721\frac{1 \times 7}{3 \times 7} = \frac{7}{21}.

Step 4: Subtract the numerators:

921721=9721=221\frac{9}{21} - \frac{7}{21} = \frac{9 - 7}{21} = \frac{2}{21}.

Simplify if necessary: Here, 221\frac{2}{21} is already in its simplest form.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is 221 \frac{2}{21} .

Answer

221 \frac{2}{21}