Subtracting or Multiplying Fractions 3 4 − 1 2 This is the given scenario to help visualize the problem at hand. A bird feeder is filled with 3 4 of a full bag of seeds. The birds ate 1 2 of what was in the bird feeder. What fraction of a full bag of bird seed is left in the bird feeder?The previous scenario involved the same numbers but it asked what fraction of a full bag of bird seed were eaten. I was able to concluded that 3 8 of the full bag of seeds was eaten. You are not able to use the formula: 3 4 − 1 2 on this scenario because you are taking fractions of each other, not just the whole bag of seeds.Does that justification sound correct? With that justification, how could I solve the question that is asking for the fraction of a full bag of bird seed left in the feeder? Could I use 3 4 − 1 2 to answer that? I know that 3 4 − 1 2 = 1 4 but that is not seeming like a correct answer to the scenario. Please help me, I don't completely understand this.

Question

Subtracting or Multiplying Fractions       3    4    −      1    2  This is the given scenario to help visualize the problem at hand. A bird feeder is filled with       3    4   of a full bag of seeds. The birds ate       1    2   of what was in the bird feeder. What fraction of a full bag of bird seed is left in the bird feeder?The previous scenario involved the same numbers but it asked what fraction of a full bag of bird seed were eaten. I was able to concluded that       3    8   of the full bag of seeds was eaten. You are not able to use the formula:       3    4    −      1    2   on this scenario because you are taking fractions of each other, not just the whole bag of seeds.Does that justification sound correct? With that justification, how could I solve the question that is asking for the fraction of a full bag of bird seed left in the feeder? Could I use       3    4    −      1    2   to answer that? I know that       3    4    −      1    2    =      1    4   but that is not seeming like a correct answer to the scenario. Please help me, I don&#039;t completely understand this.

SweallySnicles3 · Accepted Answer

Well the important thing, when dealing with fractions of stuff, is not just the fraction itself but what the fraction is of.       1    2   of the distance to your closest library is far less than       1    2   of the distance to the moon (I hope).In this assignment, you&#039;ve got       3    4   of a bag of seeds on the feeder, and half of that is eaten. That means the birds eat       1    2   (a half   =  0.5  =  50%) of what&#039;s in the feeder, not       1    2   of the whole bag, hence       3    4    ×      1    2    =      3    8  . Simple subtraction won&#039;t give the correct result because the two fractions are of different things:       1    2   is a fraction of the seeds on the feeder while       3    4   is a fraction of the entire bag of seeds.