Subtract a fraction from a whole number

So let’s think about how we might subtract a fraction from a whole number – here, we have 4 minus 1 quarter. So we have 4 rectangles. What happens if we []split one of those rectangles into quarters and []take away 1 quarter? You can see that we now have []3 and 3 quarters.[] So what is 5 minus 1 third? We have 5 rectangles, but we can []split one of those rectangles into thirds and []take 1 third away. That leaves us with 4 whole rectangles and 2 thirds of another one, []so we have 4 and 2 thirds.[] So what is 5 minus 3 quarters? We have 5 rectangles, but we can []split one of those rectangles into quarters and []take three quarters away. That leaves us with 4 whole rectangles and 1 quarter of another one, []so our answer is 4 and a quarter.[] And what is 4 minus 2 thirds? We have 4 rectangles, but we can []split one of those rectangles into thirds and []take two thirds away. That leaves us with 3 whole rectangles and 1 third of another one, []so our answer is 3 and 1 third. So as long as you understand whole fractions, as long as you understand here, for example, that 3 thirds is the same as 1 whole, then you know that taking 2 thirds away will leave you with 1 third of this fourth rectangle, so we’ve still got 3 whole rectangles and 1 third of another.