FOA

Activity #8

Adding & Subtracting Fractions in Context

Core Math Idea: How can we build a table to help us organize, and solve, a word
problem that involves subtracting fractions with uncommon denominators?


OGAP%%Fractions% [NAME&__________________________&&&DATE&___________]%

%
ASC%%24%


%


Fred%was%making%cookies.%%He%had%two%recipes%that%he%was%considering%using%to%

!
make%the%cookies.%%The%first%recipe%required%1!
!cups!of!flour.!!The!second!recipe!

!

!
required!2!
!!cups!of!flour.!!How!much!more!flour!did!he!need!for!the!second!

!

recipe?!!

!
a. Build a table below to help organize the information above.

Hannah%said%that%she%could%use%the%following%equation%to%solve%the%problem.%%


!
!
2 !%M%1% =%n%

!
!

%


Brent%says%that%he%could%use%the%following%equation%to%solve%the%problem.%%


%


!"
!
!%M%% =%n%

!
!

% b. How much more flour did Fred need for the second recipe? Show your work.


Who%is%correct?%%Explain%your%thinking.%

%

%
c. Create an equation that Fred could use to solve this problem. Explain your
% reasoning.

Freds Equation: ____________________________________
%

%
%
%

make%the%cookies.%%The%first%recipe%required%1!!!cups!of!flour.!!The!second!recipe!
!

required!2!!!!cups!of!flour.!!How!much!more!flour!did!he!need!for!the!second!
FOA

Activity #8

recipe?!!
Adding & Subtracting Fractions in Context

!

Hannah%said%that%she%could%use%the%following%equation%to%solve%the%problem.%%

!
!

2 !!%M%1%! =%n%


%


Brent%says%that%he%could%use%the%following%equation%to%solve%the%problem.%%

%


!"
!
!%M%% =%n%

!
!

%
A)
Who%is%correct?%%Explain%your%thinking.%

%

%

%

%

%
B)
How is your equation the same or different from Hannahs?
%

%

24& %2013%Marge%Petit,%E.%Hulbert,%and%R.%Laird.%%A%derivative%product%of%the%Vermont%Mathematics%Partnership%Ongoing%

Assessment%Project%funded%by%NSF%(Award%Number%EHRM0227057)%and%the%US%DOE%(S366A0200002))%

%

%
C)

How is your equation the same or different from Brents?