Taking Away Fractions: The Ribbon Shop
Welcome to the Ribbon Shop! Cindy measures every ribbon on a wooden board split into equal sections, and snips off pieces for her customers. Taking away fractions works just like adding them.
Remember: When the bottom numbers are the same, take away the top numbers and keep the bottom number: 5/6 − 2/6 = 3/6. The pieces are still sixths, so the bottom number stays 6.
Magic trick: Say it in words: 5 sixths take away 2 sixths leaves 3 sixths, just like 5 bows take away 2 bows leaves 3 bows.
Seek and Find
Look carefully at the picture of the Ribbon Shop and find:
- 🧵 Find the 9 spools of ribbon on the shelf. 3 are pink. If Cindy sells the 3 pink spools, 9/9 − 3/9 = 6/9 of the spools are left.
- 🎀 Find the pink ribbon on the long board. It covers 5/6 of the board. Snip off 2/6 and 5/6 − 2/6 = 3/6 is left.
- 📏 Find the lavender ribbon on the short board. It covers 3/4 of the board.
- 🐱 Millie and her kitten Biscuit are hiding in every picture. Can you spot them?