Pizza Portion Puzzle: Calculating the Remaining Slice

This article delves into a classic math problem involving pizza fractions to illustrate the importance of understanding how to manipulate fractions. By breaking down the problem with clear steps and detailed explanations, we ensure that even those who are not mathematically inclined can grasp the solution. Let's explore how to determine the fraction of pizza left after three friends have eaten their respective slices.

The Problem and the Solution

Imagine three friends, Shawn, Molly, and Tess, divided a pizza amongst themselves. Shawn ate 1/4 of the pizza, Molly ate 1/8 of the pizza, and Tess ate 1/2 of the pizza. We need to find out how much of the pizza remains.

Step 1: Adding the Fractions Eaten

To solve this, we first need to add the fractions of the pizza that each friend ate:

Shawn ate 1/4 Molly ate 1/8 Tess ate 1/2

Before we add these fractions, we need a common denominator. The least common multiple of 4, 8, and 2 is 8. We will convert each fraction to have this common denominator:

Converting 1/4 to a fraction with a denominator of 8: 1/4 2/8 Converting 1/8 to a fraction with a denominator of 8: 1/8 1/8 Converting 1/2 to a fraction with a denominator of 8: 1/2 4/8

Now we add these fractions together:

2/8 1/8 4/8 (2 1 4)/8 7/8

This means the total amount of pizza eaten is 7/8.

Step 2: Calculating the Remaining Pizza

To find the remaining pizza, we need to subtract the amount eaten from the whole pizza:

1 - 7/8 1/8

Hence, the amount of pizza left is 1/8.

Exploring Different Methods and Solutions

Let's explore a few alternative methods to confirm our result:

Solution Method 1

We already followed the method of converting fractions and adding them up. Here's another approach:

Shawn ate 1/4, leaving 1 - 1/4 3/4 Tess ate 1/2, which is the same as 2/4, leaving 3/4 - 2/4 1/4 Molly ate 1/8, which is half of 1/4, leaving 1/4 - 1/8 1/8

This confirms that the remaining pizza is 1/8.

Solution Method 2

Another method involves thinking in terms of eighths:

The total pizza is 8/8 Shawn ate 2/8 Shawn and Tess together ate 2/8 4/8 6/8 Molly ate 1/8, leaving 8/8 - 6/8 - 1/8 1/8

Once again, the remaining pizza is 1/8.

Conclusion and Practical Application

Understanding fractions is an essential skill in many real-life scenarios, such as cooking and dividing resources. In this article, we've broken down a specific pizza problem step-by-step and provided alternative methods to ensure clarity and accuracy. By practicing these problems, you can improve your fraction manipulation skills and tackle similar problems more confidently.

Keywords

Keyword1: pizza fractions Keyword2: fraction calculation Keyword3: common denominator