Answer:
3[tex]\frac{4}{8}[/tex] cups
Step-by-step explanation:
To subtract two fractions with different denominators easily, you can find the LCM of the denominators to make a simple subtraction problem.
LCM - Lowest Common Multiple
To find the LCM of two numbers, write down each numbers' times tables until they have a common number:
4 - 4, 8, 12, 16, 20,....
8 - 8, 16, 24, 32, 40,....
Because 8 is the first number to be in both numbers' multiples, it is the LCM of 4 and 8.
Now that the LCM has been determined, you need both denominators to be 8. This is an easy process as it is simple multiplication:
3 [tex]\frac{1}{4}[/tex] → [tex]\frac{1}{4}[/tex] × [tex]\frac{2}{2}[/tex] = [tex]\frac{2}{8}[/tex]
6 [tex]\frac{6}{8}[/tex] → no multiplication needed.
Now to subtract:
6 [tex]\frac{6}{8}[/tex] - 3 [tex]\frac{2}{8}[/tex] = 3 [tex]\frac{4}{8}[/tex]
Because the question does not want a simplified fraction, the final answer is 3 [tex]\frac{4}{8}[/tex] cups.
