Fraction Question

[jjamesdk]

Hey all first time using this site. I need some help understanding this problem, I'm learning on my own with no guidance, so hopefully someone can explain.

Erica bought
1 1/2 yards of fabric. If she uses 2/3 of the fabric
to make a curtain, how much will she have left?

At first I thought it was subtraction, but it wasn't, the answer is 1 1/6. After messing around with it for a bit I found the only way to get that answer was to add 1/2 + 2/3, I don't understand WHY this is the case.

Am I taking this question in the wrong direction, can anyone explain to me?, will be most grateful, thank you

 

[lookagain]

Hey all first time using this site. I need some help understanding this problem,
I'm learning on my own with no guidance, so hopefully someone can explain.



Erica bought 1 1/2 yards of fabric.


If she uses 2/3 of the fabric to make a curtain, how much will she have left?



At first I thought it was subtraction, but it wasn't, the answer is 1 1/6. \(\displaystyle \ \ \ \ \ \) I'm not getting this.



After messing around with it for a bit, I found the only way to get that answer was to add 1/2 + 2/3 \(\displaystyle \ \ \ \ \)I don't see this as a correct approach.



I don't understand WHY this is the case

One of the approaches is this:



\(\displaystyle Erica \ \ has \ \ 1\frac{1}{2} \ \)yards of fabric. \(\displaystyle \ \ \ \)She uses 2/3 of the fabric to make a curtain, how much will she have left?



She used \(\displaystyle \ (1\frac{1}{2}\ yards \ \ of \ \ fabric)(\frac{2}{3}) \ = \ (\frac{3}{2} \ yards \ \ of \ \ fabric)(\frac{2}{3}) \ = 1 \ yard \ \ of \ \ fabric\).



\(\displaystyle (1\frac{1}{2} \ yards \ \ of \ \ fabric) \ \) \(\displaystyle \ minus \ \) \(\displaystyle (1 \ yard \ \ of \ \ fabric \ \ used) \ \ equals \ \ what?\)



Or picture this diagram which represents \(\displaystyle \ 1\frac{1}{2} \ \)yards (of fabric):



\(\displaystyle \boxed{ \ \frac{1}{2} \ yard \ } \)\(\displaystyle \boxed{ \ \frac{1}{2} \ yard \ } \)\(\displaystyle \boxed{ \ \frac{1}{2} \ yard \ } \)





What do you have left (not used) if you use 2/3 of what is in the boxes?

 

[jjamesdk]

One of the approaches is this:



\(\displaystyle Erica \ \ has \ \ 1\frac{1}{2} \ \)yards of fabric. \(\displaystyle \ \ \ \)She uses 2/3 of the fabric to make a curtain, how much will she have left?



She used \(\displaystyle \ (1\frac{1}{2}\ yards \ \ of \ \ fabric)(\frac{2}{3}) \ = \ (\frac{3}{2} \ yards \ \ of \ \ fabric)(\frac{2}{3}) \ = 1 \ yard \ \ of \ \ fabric\).



\(\displaystyle (1\frac{1}{2} \ yards \ \ of \ \ fabric) \ \) \(\displaystyle \ minus \ \) \(\displaystyle (1 \ yard \ \ of \ \ fabric \ \ used) \ \ equals \ \ what?\)



Or picture this diagram which represents \(\displaystyle \ 1\frac{1}{2} \ \)yards (of fabric):



\(\displaystyle \boxed{ \ \frac{1}{2} \ yard \ } \)\(\displaystyle \boxed{ \ \frac{1}{2} \ yard \ } \)\(\displaystyle \boxed{ \ \frac{1}{2} \ yard \ } \)





What do you have left (not used) if you use 2/3 of what is in the boxes?

I'm sorry I messed up the question.. the question was

Erica bought 3 1/2 yards of fabric. If she uses 2/3 of the fabric to make a curtain, how much will she have left?

I tried using the same method you've shown above, but it didn't arrive me to 1 1/6, this is where I'm getting confused. The only way to get 1 and 1/6 is to add the fractions 1/2 + 2/3, but What of the 3?! why doesn't this factor into anything. Any more help would be appreciated, sorry for messing that up, and thanks for being patient

Edit: Ok, I just messed with this some more, and I found that if I subtract 3 1/2 from 2/3 I get 1 1/6, which is the correct answer, but I still don't understand why it isn't the other way around, shouldn't it be subtracting 2/3 from 3 1/2?

 

[jjamesdk]

3 1/2 = 7/2

2/3 of 7/2 = (2/3)*(7/2) = 14/6 = 7/3

7/2 - 7/3 = 21/6 - 14/6 = I'll let you finish it...

Thank you so much!, this lead me on the right path, and I understand the question now!

 

[lookagain]

Edit: Ok, I just messed with this some more, and I found that if I subtract 3 1/2 from 2/3

> > > > No, you are to be subtracting the product of \(\displaystyle \ \ \frac{2}{3} \ \ \) and \(\displaystyle \ 3 \frac{1}{2} \ \ \) away from \(\displaystyle \ 3\frac{1}{2}.\) < < < <


I get 1 1/6, which is the correct answer, but I still don't understand why it isn't the other way around, shouldn't it be subtracting 2/3 from 3 1/2?

.

 

[jjamesdk]

Thank you!

.

Thank you, this clarifies this greatly for me!