Questions: Subtract. Write your answer as a mixed number in simplest form. 8 5/7 - 3 3/7

Solution Steps

To solve the subtraction of mixed numbers, we need to follow these steps:

1. Separate the whole numbers and the fractional parts.
2. Subtract the whole numbers.
3. Subtract the fractional parts. If the fractional part of the minuend is smaller than the fractional part of the subtrahend, borrow 1 from the whole number part.
4. Combine the results to form the final mixed number.

We start with the mixed numbers \( 8 \frac{5}{7} \) and \( 3 \frac{3}{7} \). We separate the whole numbers and the fractional parts:

• Whole numbers: \( 8 \) and \( 3 \)
• Fractions: \( \frac{5}{7} \) and \( \frac{3}{7} \)

Next, we subtract the whole numbers: \[ 8 - 3 = 5 \]

Now, we subtract the fractional parts. Since \( \frac{5}{7} \) is greater than \( \frac{3}{7} \), we can directly subtract: \[ \frac{5}{7} - \frac{3}{7} = \frac{2}{7} \]

We combine the results of the whole number and the fractional part: \[ 5 + \frac{2}{7} = 5 \frac{2}{7} \]

Final Answer