Question

Maya has 4 1/2m of ribbon. She uses 1 3/4m to wrap a present and 1/3m to make a bow. How much ribbon is left?

Answer 1

4 6/12 - (1 9/12 + 4/12) = ?

Answer 2

4 6/12 -1 9/12 -4/12 (the key is to distribute the negative sign through the parentheses first)

Now simplify by combining negative fractions
4 6/12 -2 1/12

answer 2 5/12