Critique a subtraction mistake
5th Grade Math practice: A student says 3/4 - 1/2 = 2/2. What is the error. Part of fractions (Compare fractions).
~6 min
Look for the common mistake of subtracting denominators directly.
Don't Subtract Denominators
1/2 shaded
When subtracting fractions, you cannot subtract the denominators because they represent the size of the parts, which must remain consistent. Subtracting denominators is a common mistake that ignores the total size of the whole.
💡 Think of the denominator as the name of the fraction piece, like 'fifths' or 'tenths'.