Subtract Fractions from Whole Numbers Worksheet (examples, answers ... - Free Printable

Let's solve each problem step by step. The task is to subtract a fraction from a whole number.

General Strategy:

To subtract a fraction from a whole number, we can rewrite the whole number as a mixed number with the same denominator as the fraction. This makes subtraction easier.

For example:
$$
5 - \frac{1}{5} = 4 + \frac{5}{5} - \frac{1}{5} = 4 + \frac{4}{5} = 4\frac{4}{5}
$$

We’ll apply this method to all problems.

---

Left Column:

1. $ 5 - \frac{1}{5} $
$$
5 = 4 + \frac{5}{5}, \quad \text{so} \quad 4 + \frac{5}{5} - \frac{1}{5} = 4 + \frac{4}{5} = \boxed{4\frac{4}{5}}
$$

2. $ 4 - \frac{2}{5} $
$$
4 = 3 + \frac{5}{5}, \quad 3 + \frac{5}{5} - \frac{2}{5} = 3 + \frac{3}{5} = \boxed{3\frac{3}{5}}
$$

3. $ 9 - \frac{1}{2} $
$$
9 = 8 + \frac{2}{2}, \quad 8 + \frac{2}{2} - \frac{1}{2} = 8 + \frac{1}{2} = \boxed{8\frac{1}{2}}
$$

4. $ 8 - \frac{1}{2} $
$$
8 = 7 + \frac{2}{2}, \quad 7 + \frac{2}{2} - \frac{1}{2} = 7 + \frac{1}{2} = \boxed{7\frac{1}{2}}
$$

5. $ 2 - \frac{3}{10} $
$$
2 = 1 + \frac{10}{10}, \quad 1 + \frac{10}{10} - \frac{3}{10} = 1 + \frac{7}{10} = \boxed{1\frac{7}{10}}
$$

6. $ 8 - \frac{1}{3} $
$$
8 = 7 + \frac{3}{3}, \quad 7 + \frac{3}{3} - \frac{1}{3} = 7 + \frac{2}{3} = \boxed{7\frac{2}{3}}
$$

7. $ 2 - \frac{2}{5} $
$$
2 = 1 + \frac{5}{5}, \quad 1 + \frac{5}{5} - \frac{2}{5} = 1 + \frac{3}{5} = \boxed{1\frac{3}{5}}
$$

8. $ 3 - \frac{3}{4} $
$$
3 = 2 + \frac{4}{4}, \quad 2 + \frac{4}{4} - \frac{3}{4} = 2 + \frac{1}{4} = \boxed{2\frac{1}{4}}
$$

---

Right Column:

9. $ 3 - \frac{4}{5} $
$$
3 = 2 + \frac{5}{5}, \quad 2 + \frac{5}{5} - \frac{4}{5} = 2 + \frac{1}{5} = \boxed{2\frac{1}{5}}
$$

10. $ 8 - \frac{7}{9} $
$$
8 = 7 + \frac{9}{9}, \quad 7 + \frac{9}{9} - \frac{7}{9} = 7 + \frac{2}{9} = \boxed{7\frac{2}{9}}
$$

11. $ 2 - \frac{1}{6} $
$$
2 = 1 + \frac{6}{6}, \quad 1 + \frac{6}{6} - \frac{1}{6} = 1 + \frac{5}{6} = \boxed{1\frac{5}{6}}
$$

12. $ 3 - \frac{1}{6} $
$$
3 = 2 + \frac{6}{6}, \quad 2 + \frac{6}{6} - \frac{1}{6} = 2 + \frac{5}{6} = \boxed{2\frac{5}{6}}
$$

13. $ 7 - \frac{7}{10} $
$$
7 = 6 + \frac{10}{10}, \quad 6 + \frac{10}{10} - \frac{7}{10} = 6 + \frac{3}{10} = \boxed{6\frac{3}{10}}
$$

14. $ 9 - \frac{3}{5} $
$$
9 = 8 + \frac{5}{5}, \quad 8 + \frac{5}{5} - \frac{3}{5} = 8 + \frac{2}{5} = \boxed{8\frac{2}{5}}
$$

15. $ 5 - \frac{1}{3} $
$$
5 = 4 + \frac{3}{3}, \quad 4 + \frac{3}{3} - \frac{1}{3} = 4 + \frac{2}{3} = \boxed{4\frac{2}{3}}
$$

16. $ 8 - \frac{4}{9} $
$$
8 = 7 + \frac{9}{9}, \quad 7 + \frac{9}{9} - \frac{4}{9} = 7 + \frac{5}{9} = \boxed{7\frac{5}{9}}
$$

---

Final Answers:

| Problem | Answer |
|--------|--------|
| $ 5 - \frac{1}{5} $ | $ 4\frac{4}{5} $ |
| $ 4 - \frac{2}{5} $ | $ 3\frac{3}{5} $ |
| $ 9 - \frac{1}{2} $ | $ 8\frac{1}{2} $ |
| $ 8 - \frac{1}{2} $ | $ 7\frac{1}{2} $ |
| $ 2 - \frac{3}{10} $ | $ 1\frac{7}{10} $ |
| $ 8 - \frac{1}{3} $ | $ 7\frac{2}{3} $ |
| $ 2 - \frac{2}{5} $ | $ 1\frac{3}{5} $ |
| $ 3 - \frac{3}{4} $ | $ 2\frac{1}{4} $ |
| $ 3 - \frac{4}{5} $ | $ 2\frac{1}{5} $ |
| $ 8 - \frac{7}{9} $ | $ 7\frac{2}{9} $ |
| $ 2 - \frac{1}{6} $ | $ 1\frac{5}{6} $ |
| $ 3 - \frac{1}{6} $ | $ 2\frac{5}{6} $ |
| $ 7 - \frac{7}{10} $ | $ 6\frac{3}{10} $ |
| $ 9 - \frac{3}{5} $ | $ 8\frac{2}{5} $ |
| $ 5 - \frac{1}{3} $ | $ 4\frac{2}{3} $ |
| $ 8 - \frac{4}{9} $ | $ 7\frac{5}{9} $ |

✔ All answers are in mixed number form, which is standard for such subtraction problems.

Let me know if you'd like these written as improper fractions instead!