Fractions word problem: Calculate the remaining pipe length

Question

A piece of pipe 30 3/4 inches long. If five pieces, each 4 1/3 inches long are cut from the pipe, how many inches of pipe remain?

Answer

STEP 1:
The actual length of the piece of pipe is 30³/₄ inches. We are given a case when five pieces, each measuring 4¹/₃ inches, are cut from this pipe. Before we start working, we will convert the mixed fraction measures into improper fractions for convenience while doing calculations.
Our objective is to find the remaining length of the pipe.

STEP 2:
Let us first try to find the total length of the pipe that has been cut from the original measure. Each piece measures ¹³/₃ inches, and there are five of them. Multiplying ¹³/₃ inches by 5 will give us the length of the pipe been cut.

STEP 3:
Now that we have found the length of the pipe been cut, we can use it to find the remaining length of the pipe. Subtract ⁶⁵/₂ from ¹²³/₄.

STEP 4:
The denominators of the fractions are not the same. To be able to perform the subtraction, we need fractions with like denominators (equivalent fractions). If we multiply the first fraction by ³/₃ and the second by ⁴/₄, we can get equivalent fractions. Once the denominators are the same, subtract the numerators keeping the common denominator.

STEP 5:
Since all the measurements in the question are expressed as mixed fractions, you can choose to convert the result into a mixed fraction. Use long division for this purpose.

The length of the piece of pipe that remains is 9 ¹/₁₂ inches.