Solve the Fraction Subtraction: 3/5 minus 1/3

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:07 Let's solve this problem together.

00:10 First, we need to find the smallest common denominator.

00:14 So, we'll multiply each fraction by the other fraction's denominator.

00:19 Remember to multiply both the top and the bottom numbers.

00:27 Now, let's calculate these multiplications.

00:35 Next, subtract using the common denominator.

00:41 Calculate the new numerator.

00:44 And that's how we find the solution! Great job!

Step-by-Step Solution

To solve the subtraction of fractions $\frac{3}{5} - \frac{1}{3}$ , follow these steps:

Step 1: Find the Least Common Denominator (LCD)
The denominators are 5 and 3. The least common multiple of 5 and 3 is 15. Thus, the common denominator will be 15.
Step 2: Convert fractions to have the same denominator
For $\frac{3}{5}$ , multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 3 to get:
$\frac{3}{5} = \frac{3 \times 3}{5 \times 3} = \frac{9}{15}$ .
For $\frac{1}{3}$ , multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 5 to get:
$\frac{1}{3} = \frac{1 \times 5}{3 \times 5} = \frac{5}{15}$ .
Step 3: Subtract the numerators
Now subtract the equivalent fractions:
$\frac{9}{15} - \frac{5}{15} = \frac{9 - 5}{15} = \frac{4}{15}$ .
Step 4: Simplify the fraction
The fraction $\frac{4}{15}$ is already in its simplest form.

Thus, the solution to the problem is $\frac{4}{15}$ .