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Year 4

Subtract a mixed number from a mixed number

I can subtract a mixed number from a mixed number explaining which strategy is most efficient.

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New

Year 4

Subtract a mixed number from a mixed number

I can subtract a mixed number from a mixed number explaining which strategy is most efficient.

Download all resources

Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

To subtract mixed numbers, we need to use our fraction-sense to determine the most appropriate strategy to use.
Mixed numbers can be subtracted by counting back using a number line or by converting them to improper fractions.
If mixed numbers are close, it is more efficient to ‘find the difference’ by counting forwards from part to whole.

Keywords

Mixed number - A mixed number is a whole number and a fraction combined.
Improper fraction - An improper fraction is a fraction where the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator.

Common misconception

Children may believe that a smaller mixed number cannot be subtracted from a greater one if its fractional part is greater. E.g. five and three-quarters cannot be subtracted from six and one-quarter.

If the mixed numbers are close to each other, try to ‘find the difference’ by counting forwards on a number line from the part to the whole.

To help you plan your year 4 maths lesson on: Subtract a mixed number from a mixed number, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Children need to have a secure understanding of how to subtract proper fractions to enable them to successfully subtract mixed numbers. Children also need to be secure at converting between mixed numbers and improper fractions.

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Worksheet

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

\frac{8}{12}

−

\frac{6}{12}

\frac{14}{12}

\frac{14}{24}

\frac{2}{0}

Correct answer:

\frac{2}{12}

\frac{1}{12}

Q2.

Match the equations to the correct difference.

Correct Answer:

\frac{7}{4}

−

\frac{1}{4}

\frac{6}{4}

$\frac{6}{4}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{9}{4}

−

\frac{2}{4}

\frac{7}{4}

$\frac{7}{4}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{9}{4}

−

\frac{7}{4}

\frac{2}{4}

$\frac{2}{4}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{14}{4}

−

\frac{2}{4}

\frac{12}{4}

$\frac{12}{4}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{6}{4}

−

\frac{3}{4}

\frac{3}{4}

$\frac{3}{4}$

Q3.

Match the improper fractions to their equivalent mixed number.

Correct Answer:

\frac{11}{10}

1 \frac{1}{10}

$1 \frac{1}{10}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{18}{10}

1 \frac{8}{10}

$1 \frac{8}{10}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{29}{10}

2 \frac{9}{10}

$2 \frac{9}{10}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{34}{10}

3 \frac{4}{10}

$3 \frac{4}{10}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{46}{10}

4 \frac{6}{10}

$4 \frac{6}{10}$

Q4.

Match the mixed number to their equivalent improper fraction.

Correct Answer:

2 \frac{4}{10}

\frac{24}{10}

$\frac{24}{10}$

Correct Answer:

3 \frac{4}{10}

\frac{34}{10}

$\frac{34}{10}$

Correct Answer:

1 \frac{6}{10}

\frac{16}{10}

$\frac{16}{10}$

Correct Answer:

2 \frac{1}{10}

\frac{21}{10}

$\frac{21}{10}$

Correct Answer:

5 \frac{3}{10}

\frac{53}{10}

$\frac{53}{10}$

Q5.

Calculate this.

6 \frac{1}{8}

−

\frac{3}{8}

\frac{66}{8}

5 \frac{7}{8}

Correct answer:

5 \frac{6}{8}

6 \frac{4}{8}

6 \frac{6}{8}

Q6.

Match the equation to its difference.

Correct Answer:

2 \frac{7}{9}

3 \frac{1}{9}

−

\frac{3}{9}

$3 \frac{1}{9}$ − $\frac{3}{9}$

Correct Answer:

1 \frac{5}{9}

2 \frac{2}{9}

−

\frac{6}{9}

$2 \frac{2}{9}$ − $\frac{6}{9}$

Correct Answer:

1 \frac{6}{9}

2 \frac{1}{9}

−

\frac{4}{9}

$2 \frac{1}{9}$ − $\frac{4}{9}$

Correct Answer:

3 \frac{7}{9}

4 \frac{3}{9}

−

\frac{5}{9}

$4 \frac{3}{9}$ − $\frac{5}{9}$

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Use the number line to complete the sentence: the difference between

2 \frac{1}{9}

and

1 \frac{5}{9}

is ninths

Correct Answer: 5, five

Q2.

Calculate this

3 \frac{1}{5}

−

2 \frac{3}{5}

= ?

\frac{1}{5}

\frac{2}{5}

Correct answer:

\frac{3}{5}

1 \frac{3}{5}

2 \frac{3}{5}

Q3.

Complete the missing box.

Correct Answer: 5

Q4.

Match the equations to the difference.

Correct Answer:

\frac{4}{6}

3 \frac{1}{6}

−

2 \frac{3}{6}

$3 \frac{1}{6}$ − $2 \frac{3}{6}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{3}{6}

4 \frac{2}{6}

−

3 \frac{5}{6}

$4 \frac{2}{6}$ − $3 \frac{5}{6}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{5}{6}

4 \frac{3}{6}

−

3 \frac{4}{6}

$4 \frac{3}{6}$ − $3 \frac{4}{6}$

Correct Answer:

\frac{2}{6}

5 \frac{1}{6}

−

4 \frac{5}{6}

$5 \frac{1}{6}$ − $4 \frac{5}{6}$

Q5.

Andeep spends two and a quarter hours doing his homework. Izzy spends one and three-quarter hours doing her homework. How much more time did Andeep spend?

\frac{1}{4}

hours

Correct answer:

\frac{2}{4}

hours

\frac{3}{4}

hours

1 \frac{2}{4}

hours

3 \frac{4}{4}

hours

Q6.

Izzy walks three and one-tenth kilometres on Saturday. On Sunday she walks one and four-tenth kilometres less than this. How far does she walk on Sunday?

\frac{6}{10}

\frac{7}{10}

Correct answer:

1 \frac{7}{10}

2 \frac{7}{10}

4 \frac{5}{10}

Subtract a mixed number from a mixed number

Subtract a mixed number from a mixed number

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

Keywords

Common misconception

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Starter quiz

6 Questions

Exit quiz

6 Questions