What is the procedure to subtract fractions with the same denominator?

To subtract fractions with the same denominator, the procedure involves focusing on the numerators while keeping the denominator unchanged. When you have two fractions that share the same denominator, you simply subtract the top numbers (the numerators) and maintain the common denominator.

For example, if you have the fractions ( \frac{5}{8} ) and ( \frac{2}{8} ), you would subtract the numerator 2 from 5, resulting in ( 5 - 2 = 3 ), and the denominator remains 8. Therefore, the result is ( \frac{3}{8} ).

This method simplifies the process, as you do not need to alter or find a common denominator when it is already the same. Understanding this allows students to effectively perform subtraction with fractions efficiently and accurately.