Subtracting Fraction With The Different Denominator

1	–	1
2		6

Step 1. The bottom numbers are different. See how the slices are different sizes? We need to make them the same before we can continue, because we can't subtract them like this:

	1/2	-	1/6	=	?

To make the bottom numbers the same, multiply the top and bottom of the first fraction (¹/₂) by 3 like this:

× 3

1	=	3
2		6

× 3

And now our question looks like this:

	3/6	-	1/6

The bottom numbers (the denominators) are the same, so we can go to step 2.

Step 2. Subtract the top numbers and put the answer over the same denominator:

3	–	1	=	3 – 1	=	2
6		6		6		6

In picture form it looks like this:

	3/6	-	1/6	=	2/6

Step 3. Simplify the fraction: 

2	=	1
6		3