Fractions Subtraction: Mixed Fractions

To subtract mixed fractions, just subtract the numbers - the whole numbers - and then subtract the fractions.

Our first example is 8 6/7 - 3 4/7:
8 - 3 = 5
6/7 - 4/7 = 2/7.

So, the answer is 5 2/7.

Our next example is 3 1/2 - 2 1/4
3 - 2 = 1.

We saw in Fractions Subtraction: Simple Fractions, Least Common Denominator that
1/2 - 1/4
gets rewritten as
2/4 - 1/4
2/4 - 1/4 = 1/4.

So, the answer is 1 1/4.